The Ministry for Education and Employment, together with the University of Malta, has upgraded the stipend classification of the B.Sc in Pharmaceutical Science course which will allow for the respective students to receive a higher stipend and initial financial grant, the Department of Information said. The change will come into effect as from this month, and will be added in the next stipend payment in August.

This decision was taken in light of the fact that, for a number of years, students in this course were denied an equal playing field with those following other similar courses, as well as in view of the Government's aim to further incentivise and promote education in the science subjects.

The Ministry said it is pleased to report that there was a noteworthy increase in the number of Form 3 students who have chosen a science subject for the upcoming scholastic year. 550 students have chosen Biology and 300 students have taken up Chemistry during the September 2016 intake. These numbers are the result of collaboration between the Education Directorate and the private sector to promote the science subjects, and their potential in industry, in schools during the past year.