Malta COVID-19 education response

Like many others countries around the world, the Covid-19 pandemic caught the authorities prepared in some areas and totally unprepared in others. Fortunately for Malta the strong ICT infrastructure with 99% coverage of the territory by fixed-line broadband Internet and mobile phone 3G/4G access complete with wireless broadband Internet supported the overnight switch from class-based to 100% online education in the second week of March. However, the support vulnerable students who face challenges at home the Ministry for Education and Employment (MEDE) in April 2020 announced a scheme to support such students with free Internet access and laptops. Furthermore, perhaps as a coincidence, in March 2020 The Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) and the Foundation of Social Welfare Standards (FSWS) agreed to strengthen their collaboration to improve the wellbeing of young people at high risk of social exclusion. MEDE’s Institute for Education announced free online courses for parents and educators. MEDE also announced a think-tank with high-profile representatives from society about post Covid-19 education in Malta.