Country report

1. STEM education

Malta faces persistent shortages of STEM specialists, despite policy efforts to boost participation. Structural bottlenecks across the education pathway have constrained graduate supply. In 2023, only 13.9% of tertiary students were enrolled in STEM, down from 21.5% in 2015, while STEM graduates accounted for 23.7% of all graduates, below the EU average of 25.2%. Labour market data confirms growing unmet demand, over 1 700 vacancies were registered in professional, scientific, and technical occupations at the end of 2023, with rising job vacancy rates in ICT reaching 5% in the same period (NSO, 2024). The national employment policy 2021-2030 warns of critical shortages in manufacturing, ICT and green sectors due to weak STEM pipelines (Ministry for Finance and Employment, 2021). Yet no national graduate tracking or skills forecasting system exists, limiting policy responsiveness. The government set up a National Skills Council in 2023 to identify current and future skills needs and guide evidence-based policy.

STEM enrolment in vocational education and training (VET) remains below the EU average and is especially low among women. In Malta, 32.4% of pupils enrolled in medium-level VET in 2023 were in STEM fields, below the EU average of 36.3% and the EU-wide target of at least 45% by 2030. Among the VET upper secondary pupils enrolled in STEM, 52% were in engineering, manufacturing and construction, and 42% in ICT. Female participation remains limited, with just 13.6% of VET STEM students being women, below the EU average of 15.4% and far from the 25% EU target by 2030. The relatively overall low uptake of ICT could explain persistent labour shortages in the sector. Recent efforts to address this include the establishment of the Directorate for STEM and VET programmes in 2023, which advises on curricula, supports innovation, and promotes teacher training. The digital education strategy 2024-2030 further commits to better align VET with labour market needs, with a focus on STEM (Cedefop & ReferNet, 2025a).

Alongside insufficient tertiary STEM graduation and enrolment rates, structural challenges and gender stereotypes persist. In 2023, female students were underrepresented in ICT (17.4%) and engineering (27.1%) – both below the EU averages of 20.3% and 27.7% respectively – but outnumbered men in life sciences, mathematics and statistics, where they comprised 57.6% of enrolments, significantly exceeding the EU average of 51.5%. These patterns highlight strong gender segregation across STEM disciplines. Initiatives like ‘Girls 4 STEM’ (held in 2023) aim to spark early interest. Student choice is also shaped by perceived difficulty and limited early exposure to advanced science. In 2023, while over 4 600 students sat for mathematics at school leaving certificate level, only 501 opted for advanced mathematics – and just 291 passed with grades sufficient for tertiary STEM entry. Similar bottlenecks were observed in physics and chemistry, with fewer than 200 students passing each at advanced level (MATSEC Examinations Board, 2024a and 2024b).

To incentivise enrolment in strategic areas, Malta has introduced higher stipends and scholarships. Students in high-priority STEM and green skills fields can now receive up to EUR 381.75 per month – more than three times the base rate (Government of Malta, 2024). This measure is supported by the national education strategy 2024-2030 (MEYR, 2024a), which emphasises the need to align STEM talent supply with labour market needs. STEM students can also benefit from increased access to the ‘Endeavour II’ and ‘Get Qualified’ scholarship schemes (Ministry for Finance and Employment, 2024a and 2024b). However, these reforms are recent, and their impact on participation is yet to be evaluated.

2. Early childhood education and care

While overall participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC) has grown, Malta still faces challenges related to equity, particularly for disadvantaged children. In 2023, the participation rate among children aged three up to the start of compulsory primary education stood at 93.2%, slightly below the EU average of 94.0%. On the other hand, in 2024 participation among children under the age of three was 44.1%. This was above the EU average of 39.2% but significantly down on 2023 (51.1%) – yet overall the figure has been rising since 2015 (19.0%), narrowly missing the national Barcelona target of 45% in 2030. Among children at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE), participation remains insufficient: just 24.3% of children under three attend ECEC, compared to 48.5% of their non-AROPE peers – a 24.2 pps difference, one of the widest in the EU. Discussions are ongoing whether to extend the Free Childcare Scheme – introduced in 2016 and currently limited to children of parents who are working or studying, but which has nevertheless helped to increase participation – to children whose parents are neither employed nor in education (NESET, 2024). This limits ECEC’s potential to mitigate disadvantage in the early years among children at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Moreover, the sector remains highly privatised and decentralised (Eurydice, 2025), complicating efforts to enforce uniform standards of quality. Malta has been addressing the issue by, among other initiatives, increasing the number of childcare centres from 98 to 195 between 2016 and 2023 (Gatt, 2023).

Concerns over quality persist across the ECEC sector. The national education strategy 2024-2030 (MEYR, 2024a) outlines plans to improve pre-primary provision through revised quality standards and external review mechanisms, as well as a more robust legislative framework for children aged 0-3 and investment in workforce training. Initiatives include the establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee for Early Childhood Education and Care Advisory Group. Stakeholders have underlined the need for clearer governance and accountability, noting the absence of a central entity responsible for early years policy development and oversight (Schreyer et al., 2024). Furthermore, Malta is among the three EU Member States which does not provide legal entitlement to or compulsory ECEC (Eurydice, 2025), which would be beneficial in particular for vulnerable children.

Despite recent efforts, workforce qualification gaps remain substantial. According to a 2024 profile study (Schreyer et al., 2024), 276 of 1 260 childcare staff do not hold relevant qualifications, and a significant proportion of the staff base comes from non-education backgrounds such as health and social care. In response, Malta is in the process of raising the minimum qualification requirements for ECEC professionals (Motiejūnaitė, 2021), which remain below bachelor’s level (Eurydice, 2025). In addition, Malta’s 2024 sectoral agreement improved pay and recognition for early years staff and includes a commitment to improve continuous professional development (Government of Malta and the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT), 2024).

3. School education and basic skills

Students’ socio-economic background continues to strongly shape learning outcomes. Among those in the lowest socio-economic quartile, nearly half underachieve in mathematics (47.7%) and over half in reading (51.5%). Even advantaged students face challenges: 17.2% underperform in mathematics, compared to an EU average of 10.9%. The share of top performers has also markedly declined since 2015: only 7.2% of students excel in mathematics (EU: 7.9%) and 4.6% in science (EU: 6.9%), with significant disparities across school types (Eurydice, 2023). This data reveals systemic quality issues across the entire student population (European Commission, 2024a) beyond posing a risk to Malta’s competitiveness. An overarching response to worsening levels of basic skills is the recent establishment, in collaboration with the OECD, of an action plan to addressing PISA 2022 challenges. The plan provides for investment in early years reading programmes, curriculum transformation and increased support for students at risk. Implementing the national inclusion policy may further help improve student outcomes, but in order to effectively address underachievement it needs to be accompanied by support for teachers. Similarly, the new Data Warehouse initiative – part of Malta’s national recovery and resilience plan - represents an encouraging step towards evidence-informed policymaking, but for the time being it only targets public schools, excluding over 40% of the student population (Government of Malta, 2023). In addition, Malta is exploring the possibility of implementing PISA for Schools, tailor-made exams that can be taken more regularly, in order to continuously monitor the change in students’ basic skills. Ultimately, the national education strategy 2024-2030 (MEYR, 2024a) aims to reform curriculum content, promote equity and inclusion, and revise assessment methods. It also introduces a mathematical literacy strategy and measures to strengthen foundational reading skills, especially in the early years. While the strategic direction is sound, practical implementation is still evolving.

Digital and STEM-related reforms are advancing, though significant gaps remain in digital and scientific literacy. The 2025-2030 Digital Education Strategy introduces ICT and AI tools across school levels and aims to improve digital literacy through curricular integration and better teacher training (MEYR, 2024b). Tablet and laptop distribution is being scaled up (MEYR, 2025a). However, the 2023 ICILS study demonstrates that underachievement is above the EU average in computer and information literacy among eighth-grade students (52% v 43%), and results in computational thinking are especially low (European Commission, 2024b).

Early leaving from education and training (ELET) has declined substantially over the past decade but remains high for people with disabilities. Among individuals aged 18-24, ELET fell from 16.3% in 2015 (EU: 11.0%) to 9.6% in 2024 (EU: 9.3%), while still displaying a wide gender gap (11.7% for young men, as opposed to 7.1% for young women) and particularly high rates for people with disabilities (33% v EU average of 18%, in 2022) (European Commission, 2025). Early identification of students at risk of leaving school early is being prioritised under both the ESF+ and RRP frameworks. Furthermore, the national education strategy 2024-2030 includes alternative learning pathways for students at risk (MEYR, 2024a) – alongside support measures such as the Resource Centres and Learning Support centres. A revised model gives 60% weight to end-of-year exams and 40% to classroom assessment for Years 3-5, aiming to reward consistent effort and reduce exam anxiety. Meanwhile, the foreign language awareness programme is being redesigned to introduce communication skills earlier, and targeted reading interventions are being expanded. In the 2023-2024 school year, the reading and recovery programme which forms parts of Malta’s resilience and recovery plan supported 64 schools and more than 250 students in Malta and Gozo (MEYR, 2023a).

Vocational options at secondary school level are being restructured to increase relevance, but quality assurance remains a concern. The new Applied Vocational Certificate replaces the phased-out Secondary Education Applied Certificate model and is now available in areas such as health, engineering, ICT and hospitality. The first certifications are expected in 2027. The assessment framework for the school leaving examination has also changed (University of Malta, 2025a): students are evaluated based on school-based tasks (30%, previously 15%) carried out over the last three years of secondary school, and a final exam (70%).

Investment in education infrastructure is improving school environments, albeit with delays. The recently launched EDU infrastructure programme will allocate EUR 10 million per year to maintain 100 schools and build new ones over the next decade. Eight projects are set for 2025, paying particular attention to sustainability and efficient use of energy and materials (MEYR, 2025b). A new carbon-neutral school, Msida Primary School, opened in 2024 under Malta’s national recovery and resilience plan. EUR 18 million are allocated under the European Regional Development Fund to support investments in mainstream education infrastructure and in VET education facilities.

Teacher shortages and the limited attractiveness of the profession continue to affect educational quality. Substitute teachers accounted for 12.5% of the teaching workforce in 2022, and 41.4% (EU: 53.4%) of students attended schools reporting staff shortages. Working conditions – particularly rigid salary structures and limited career progression – deter new entrants (Attard Tonna & Calleja, 2023; Kutsyuruba & Bezzina, 2024). Additionally, teachers continue to report high workloads, administrative burdens and limited time for classroom innovation. The 2024 sectoral agreement increased salaries, introduced allowances for experienced educators and enhanced professional development opportunities (Government of Malta and MUT, 2024). The approval of a three-year bachelor’s programme in primary education has helped boost teacher training, with double the number of new students in its second cohort. Continued efforts are required to bridge remaining gaps.

Maltese students’ engagement with civic issues still falls short of the EU average. According to the 2022 ICCS study, Malta shows a stable trend (since 2016) in overall civic knowledge of its eighth graders, with 55.2% of students reaching at least a satisfactory ‘B’ score (participating EU countries: 63.1%), and girls slightly outperforming boys. Nevertheless, results in Malta were distinctive in several ways. First, Maltese students were the most likely to report discussing international political or social issues with their friends weekly or more often (49% v ICCS average of 36%). Digital media engagement for civic purposes correlated with interest in social and political issues, with one of the largest coefficients observed in Malta (almost eight scale points). However, fewer than half of Maltese students rated nepotism in government as very or quite bad for democracy, suggesting limited civic disapproval of undemocratic practices compared to other countries. Additionally, significant disparities emerged in attitudes toward environmental protection: students from higher socio-economic backgrounds in Malta were over three scale points more supportive than their disadvantaged peers – the widest such gap among the 15 EU countries assessed (Schulz et al., 2025). Further initiatives should promote democratic engagement and creative thinking across school types.

To achieve lasting improvements, Malta’s education system will need sustained, systemic efforts to translate ambition into results. While Malta spends a relatively high share of public resources on education (11.3% of total government expenditure in 2023; EU average: 9.6%), monetary investments have yet to translate into better educational outcomes. Recent policies signal a renewed focus on basic and digital skills, inclusive learning and infrastructure, but implementation remains uneven and long-term success will hinge on sustained investment, better teacher support and stronger governance. Reducing the performance gap across school types and improving top-level achievement will be essential for fostering both equity and excellence in Malta’s education system.

4. Vocational education and training

Despite limited uptake of work-based learning, VET shows strong labour market outcomes. While many VET programmes include work-based learning components, participation is not mandatory and only 51.9% of recent VET graduates in 2024 had such experience, well below the EU average of 65.2%. Nonetheless, the employment rate of recent VET graduates in Malta reached 89.1% in 2024, exceeding the EU average of 80.0%. Overall, VET graduates had an employment rate of 88.6%, higher than that of low-qualified individuals (67.5%) and only slightly below tertiary graduates (90.6%). The Directorate for STEM and VET programmes ensures that VET is relevant to employment needs and trends. It provides guidance on curriculum development and oversees implementation of the national implementation plan in alignment with the Council Recommendation on VET and the Osnabrück Declaration (Cedefop, 2025).

Malta has implemented several actions to foster VET in 2024. The National Career Guidance Network was set up to coordinate career guidance, promote VET and work-based learning, and ensure inclusive access for disadvantaged groups. The Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) and the National Skills Council (NSC) began revising the validation framework for non-formal and informal learning and updating the 2021 Recognition of Prior Learning guidelines (Cedefop & ReferNet, 2025b). In parallel, the national education strategy 2024-2030 introduces accredited after-school programmes, alternative pathways, and VET to further reduce ELET and better align education with employment needs. It also involves the NSC in upskilling VET educators. Additionally, with EU and OECD support, Malta is developing a national skills strategy to enhance the skills system across key policy areas, including VET. (MEYR, 2023b; OECD, 2025; OECD, n.d.) Finally, a new collective agreement signed in May 2025 between MCAST (the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology) and the MUT improves lecturers’ working conditions and implements structural reforms, helping to attract and retain qualified educators and boosting the attractiveness and quality of VET in Malta (Azzopardi, 2025).

5. Tertiary education

Tertiary educational attainment in Malta continues to rise, but enrolment dynamics and quality assurance issues point to long-term challenges. In 2024, 46.3% of young people aged 25-34 held a tertiary degree, exceeding the EU average of 44.1% and the EU-level target of 45% by 2030. However, concerns remain about the sustainability of this trend amid labour market mismatches and budget constraints (Eurydice, 2023). Furthermore, while the University of Malta has improved its research and teaching indicators (University of Malta, 2025b), quality issues persist. The Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) was recently found to be only partially compliant with ESG standards (Standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area), particularly regarding external quality assurance and its internal complaints and appeals system. As a result, the MFHEA was denied registration in the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education. The audit report highlighted governance issues, including excessive government control over its board and insufficient separation between HE and non-HE quality procedures (Volkova et al., 2024). This situation could make it more difficult for Maltese qualifications to be recognised abroad and hamper transnational cooperation between Maltese higher education institutions and European partners, if left unresolved. In addition, the proliferation of small-scale providers, some of which offer online degrees without access to basic academic infrastructure, have prompted complaints from students and observers alike, and raised alarm over transparency and credibility. Some higher education institutions were accused by enrolees of lacking proper accreditation and failing to deliver on programme promises. The government has yet to take decisive action in response to such cases.

Malta continues to demonstrate strong learning mobility, with recent improvements in short-term study experiences abroad. In 2023, Malta recorded one of the highest inward degree mobility rates at 31.2% (EU: 9.2%). Moreover, internationalisation initiatives have proved to be successful, as 30.8% of all tertiary students were foreign nationals in the 2022-2023 academic year. Outward degree mobility was also well above the EU average, with 9.0% of graduates earning their qualifications abroad (EU: 4.4%). Credit mobility among Maltese graduates nearly doubled from 2.8% in 2022 to 5.8% in 2023, though it remained slightly below the EU average of 6.6%. In addition, according to the EUROSTUDENT VII survey (2018-2021), 8% of Maltese students had completed internships or work placements abroad – one of the highest shares across participating countries. While Malta performs well on key indicators in the Higher Education Mobility Scoreboard, the share of secondary teachers with mobility experience remains limited (33.6%), suggesting room for improvement in staff mobility initiatives (European Commission & PPMI, 2023).

Efforts to improve graduate outcomes include closer university–industry links and the planned Trade Institute. The University of Malta continues to collaborate with business and research partners, especially through its Knowledge Transfer Office and postgraduate placements in national innovation projects. Meanwhile, the national education strategy 2024-2030 provides for the creation of a Trade Institute based on micro-credentials to strengthen applied skills and improve career alignment for learners who do not follow traditional academic pathways.

6. Adult skills and learning

Adult learning is in line with the EU average, but participation remains uneven. In 2022, 39.9% of adults participated in learning in the previous 12 months (39.5% in the EU), marking steady progress since 2016. However, these positive figures mask significant disparities. Participation in training remains well below the national 2030 target of 57.6% and is heavily skewed by education level: 65.9% of highly educated individuals take part, compared to just 16.3% of those with lower education. This is particularly concerning given Malta’s high share of low-skilled adults (29.3% v 24.2% in the EU). Participation is also much lower among those outside the labour market (9.9%) than among the employed (46.4%). Boosting learning participation among the inactive is therefore key to improving their employability. Finally, age disparities persist, with young adults (25-34) more than twice as likely to participate as those aged 55 to 64 (54.7% v 22.5%).

Skills gaps drive persistent labour shortages across sectors. Although macroeconomic skills mismatches decreased in 2023, they remain above the EU average (21.3% v 19.6%) and contribute to Malta’s high job vacancy rates. At the same time, the country faces both overqualification and a high number of low-skilled workers unable to fill in-demand skilled roles. In 2023, 22.0% of tertiary-educated workers were employed in jobs not requiring higher education, in line with the EU average. Finally, adult learning remains fragmented across entities, underlining the need for stronger governance and a consistent offer. The Directorate for Research, Lifelong Learning and Employability leads coordination, while Jobsplus provides training and guidance.

Malta has taken steps to build a more forward-looking system, but implementation is still ongoing. The national lifelong learning strategy 2023-2030 aims to expand learning opportunities for low-skilled adults and to diversify and improve the quality of lifelong learning (MEYR, 2023c). In parallel, the national education strategy 2024-2030 supports adult learning by expanding career guidance, setting up a national guidance network, and developing a basic skills framework and an adult learning offer database. Malta is also developing a new national skills strategy with the support of the EU’s Technical Support Instrument to address structural barriers to lifelong learning.