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Sitting For Your O-Levels? These Were The Most Passed (And Failed) Subjects In Malta Last Year

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O-Levels are a wonderful time in every students life. They teach us about anxiety, stress, misery, dread, and show us what life has to offer for the next 10 years. It is also our true first test into the post secondary schooling system, and a foundation for our education. 

The University of Malta have been helpful enough to release statistics on last year’s May sitting. Lovin Malta (with the help of our shoddy maths O-Level and a dying calculator) is here to help decipher the numbers and provide you with the subjects you’re statistically more likely to pass ..and fail. 

Paper 1 and 2A

Most Passed: Mathematics

This was actually a landslide for the dreaded subject. 94.5% of students who sat for this Maths paper got a passing grade between 1 and 5.

Mathematics was followed by German (92.8%) and Computing (92.5%) in second and third place respectively. Good job nerds!

Most Failed: Design & Technology

Only 63.8% of students managed to achieve a pass in this subject. 

This was followed by Physical Education (75.6%) and Social Studies (77.7%).

Paper 1 and 2B

In the case of Paper 2B, we chose to classify only the grades 4 and 5 as passing marks, since those are the minimum grades required for University.

Most Passed: Geography

Taking a look at the passing percentage we can see a steep drop. The most passable exam on the list, Geography, still got a measly 52.4%. Interestingly, it is the only exam in which the majority passed.

Computing came in second with a pass rate of 44.9% with French taking home the bronze with 42.4%.

Most Failed: Biology

Oh wow. Only 14.8% of students taking the Biology Paper IIB passed the exam. 

History came close with 16.7% passing the exam, while Mathematics (bringing it all round to a perfect circle) saw 27.6% passing.

Matsec 12A2

Paper I and IIA data from the May 2017 session

Matsec 12 B

Paper I and IIB data from the May 2017 session

Here’s a tip: go for the Paper I & IIA

Especially in Mathematics.

From the numbers, it seems like you have a higher chance of achieving a passing grade. 

If you’re not sure about which paper to take, play the odds and attempt the harder paper. With 14/23 (that’s 60% – omg get this calculator away from us) subjects boasting a 85% and above pass rate Paper IIA seems like the safe bet.   

Also, you should probably study too. 

Tag someone who loves Maths… and someone who absolutely hated every second of studying it.

READ NEXT:The 11 Stages Of Studying For Exams In Malta

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