Malta among the three lowest spenders on education in the European Union

New Eurostat figures show Malta spending 3.4% of GDP on education, against an EU average of 4.7% https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20260818-1

Momentum has noted the latest Eurostat release on educational expenditure, published this week, which places Malta third from the bottom in the European Union.

In 2023, public spending on education across the EU stood at 4.7% of GDP. Malta spent 3.4%, while countries like Sweden, Finland, and Belgium spent double the amount up to 6.8%,

Even more worrying is the annual downard trend on Malta’s expenditure on education from 5.6% of GDP in 2013 to 3.4% in 2023. This continued decline in the share of our national wealth invested in education should be a serious warning.

Dr Matthew Agius, executive member of Momentum said, “The Government constantly tells us how well the economy is doing. But one of the best ways to judge how good a government really is is by looking at where it invests for the future: in education, research, innovation and sport. The fact that Malta is well below the EU average, and at the bottom end of the European rankings, shows that we are simply not doing enough.”

For Momentum, investing in education means more than building schools. It means supporting teachers and educators, improving working conditions, providing better resources and facilities, giving every child the opportunity to succeed, strengthening our universities and investing in research and innovation that can create the jobs and industries of tomorrow.

It also means investing more in sport. Sport plays an important role in the development of young people, teaching discipline, teamwork, resilience and healthy habits. This means investing in good facilities, qualified coaches and opportunities for everyone to participate and develop their talents, regardless of their background.

Dr Agius said “Malta has enormous potential. We have talented young people, dedicated educators, researchers, athletes and coaches, and a growing economy. We have the resources to do much better. For Momentum, economic growth is not simply be measured by how much the economy grows, but by what we choose to do with that growth.”

Momentum calls on the Government to reverse this worrying trend and put education, research, innovation and sport at the centre of Malta’s long-term investment strategy.

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