While the Maltese government tried to close down these schools, in England the opposite was happening. Fourteen-year-olds were being given permission to spend two days a week learning a trade, and this was being done so as to maximise opportunities for teenagers who show a lack of motivation at school.

Dr Attard Montalto said that the young apprenticeship scheme being introduced in England enabled students to spend two days in a workplace, one day in a college and two days in a school. They will be learning a trade with experienced people such as plumbers and joiners.

In Malta, many students were losing interest in school at the age of 14 and this resulted in many of them leaving school without knowing how to read and write and also without knowing what to do next. In England, the scheme enabled these students to finish school with a certificate.

Dr Attard Montalto said that a recent survey conducted by the Employment and Training Corporation revealed alarming results in what are known as Labour Market Mismatched. A quarter of employers complained that they are not finding enough skilled people.

This figure is high also considering the fact that about 9,000 people are registering for work