Language schools will be allowed to re-open as from June 1st, on the same day that the Government is describing as the re-opening of the tourism season.
This industry has been hardly hit in the past 12 months with, as expected, a significant decline in the number of students visiting Malta to study the English language. The ELT sector plays a key role in diversifying the tourism sector and, given that the industry indirectly employs hundreds of host families and provides business to accommodation and transport providers, supermarkets and restaurants, the ripple effect on the economy is a substantial one.
In recent weeks, FELTOM had appealed strongly to authorities to provide the industry with clear direction from the government and a vision of the way forward for schools to implement meaningful survival plans.
In a statement, FELTOM had said that the EFL industry is one of the most terribly hit industries in our country which has incurred terrible financial losses and support for schools is imperative if this industry is to survive. “The significant contribution of the ELT sector to the Maltese economy has been evident over the years and losing this globally competitive sector will be highly detrimental. In 2019 alone, the total spend of ELT students in Malta was close to €200 million”, it said.
