More than three-quarters of the self-employed in Malta started their business as soon as they obtained their certificate for compulsory education while only 11 per cent completed tertiary education.

Statistics compiled by Professor Lino Briguglio revealed that out of a total on 20,763 self-employed, 4,772 completed just their primary education while 10,397 stopped at secondary level. Prof Briguglio said these figures were worrying but remarked that it seemed that people with the least education were more successful in business.

Most of self-employed in Malta are between 35 and 54 years old while 5.8 per cent are between 15 and 24 years old.

Prof Briguglio was commissioned to compile these statistics by the Secretariat for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises so that it could draw up policies in this regard.

The statistics revealed that in 2004 – the last year for which data were available – there were 29,670 micro enterprises, 1,120 small enterprises, 184 medium and 32 large enterprises. 96 per cent of Maltese businesses are micro enterprises.

Micro enterprises employed 44,624 people while the total number of people employed in micro, small, medium and large enterprises amounted to 102,578. Micro and small enterprises contribute to one-fourth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

An interesting part of the statistics revealed yesterday show the scarce use of information and communication technology in micro enterprises. The statistics revealed that 41.7 per cent of micro enterprises did not even have a computer while 49.6 per cent did not even use the internet.

Nearly 80 per cent of micro enterprises do not have a website which Prof Briguglio says is either lack of consciousness or else just a belief that a website is not needed for their business to grow. With regard to purchasing online, over 83 per cent do not purchase goods online.

In the third quarter of 2006, just over 18,300 self-employed were males while 2,474 were females.

Commenting about the statistics, the Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and the Self Employed, Edwin Vassallo said the self-employed were creating job opportunities and were a source of wealth creation and innovation. He said that despite all the challenges being faced, the small business sector was meeting the challenges and was being competitive.