More students have again passed the five subjects for entry into the Junior Lyceum, the Education Ministry said yesterday, pointing out that this was the trend that had been registered over recent years, confirming a general improvement in the sector.

The preliminary statistics showed that of the 3,772 who sat for the exam, 2,301 or 61 per cent had passed the five subjects, compared to 60.2 per cent last year, and 60.44 in 2005. The results were published yesterday, with almost nine out of every 10 students getting them by SMS, having applied for the service.

The results showed an improvement of over 10 per cent over those for 1999, the ministry said. Giving a breakdown it said 58.8 per cent, or 1,221 boys had passed and 1,079 (63.7 per cent) of girls had passed. More boys than girls sit for the Junior Lyceum exam.

After the Junior Lyceums were set up again in 1982, 5,270 students had sat for the exams, and only 846 or 16 per cent had passed. In 1985, the pass rate was 32 per cent and in 1986 it was 35 per cent. In 1992, 45 per cent had passed, 50 per cent in 1995, 52 per cent in 1998 and 54 per cent in 2002.

In individual subjects, the pass rate this year was 65 per cent in English, 78 per cent in Maltese, 77 in mathematics, 86 in social studies and 92 per cent in religion.