Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698136556303.pdf (Malta)
PARLAMENT TA' MALTA IT-TNAX-IL LEGISLATURA P.L.

2668 Dokument imqieghed fuq il-Mejda tal-Kamra tad-Deputati fis-Seduta Numru 141 tal-14 ta' April2014 mill-Ministru ghall-Edukazzjoni u x-Xoghol.

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~ ~ ~ ~~ ~EUROPEAN ~COMMISSION Brussels, XXX SWD(2013) 368 COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Aueummt of the 2013 national reform programme and stability programme for MALTA Accompanying the document Reeommmdation for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on Malta's 2013 national reform programme and deUvering a Council Opinion on Malta'• 1tability programme for 2013 {COM(2013) 368} EN 1::1..1 .. ~·~ bowevers has been limited in recent years due to the subdued economic environment as well as the elevated corporate indebtedness.
3.3.

Labour market, education and social policies Labour market performance continued improving but continued policy attention is warranted.

Starting from a low level, total employment in Malta continued to grow in 2012 (1.8 percentage points gain as opposed to a slight decline in the EU).

Gains were reported in all segments of the labour market, including among older workers and, most notably, women.

Nevertheless, the female employment rate remains the lowest in the EU.
This also reflects a still inadequate mix of family-friendly measures and flexible working arrangements.

Skills gaps related to the system of education and training also continue to pose a challenge to the efficient utilisation of human capital.

In 2012, the Council Recommendation for Malta included a CSR concerning the need to improve the links between the education system and the labour market and to address the high rate of early school leaving and the gender employment gap.
In the Commission's assessment, Malta has made some progress towards implementing this CSR.

The Council Recommendation also called for reforming the wage indexation mechanism in Malta, but no progress has been made towards implementing this recommendation.

· Education and training The measures already in place to tackle early school leaving are steps in the right diredion, subjed to proper implementation.
The rate of early school leaving bas been significantly reduced in recent years but remains among the highest in the EU.23 The measures taken in 2011-12 demonstrate that the government and the educational institutions are aware of the challenge.

A national strategy focused on prevention, intervention and compensation measures has been launched for consultation in April.
Policy action has thus been relevant, bu1 a comprehensive monitoring system to collect and analyse information to underpin the national strategy is not yet in place.

The level of credibility will be determined by the proper implementation of the policy plans in plac~.

Overall, it can be concluded that there has been some progress towards the implementation of the recommendation calling for steps to reduce early school leaving.
Policy efforts in education and training were maintained, but the main challenges remain valid.

The two existing apprenticeship schemes showed positive results in 2012 as one third of participants decided to continue education and more than half were able to find a job.

To further improve the efficiency of the schemes and modernise the vocational training system, the authorities envisage creating a single national apprenticeship scheme that would usefully cover more qualification levels and occupations.
Further in the same vein, the planned sector skills committee is to become operational in the second quarter of 2013 and a Lifelong Learning Strategy is being drafted.

The need to raise skill levels and address skills 23 Figures concerning Early School Leaving are under review by the Maltese Statistical Office and Eurostat due to a new classification of certain qualifications at secondary level.
According to the new data, the 2012 early school leaving rate is about 10 percentage points lower than with the old methodology.

At present, figures according to the new classification are available only after 20 l 0 and are therefore not comparable with those up to 2009.

In view of this, the authorities are about to present a new 2020 target, based on 1he new data.

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