BELS language schools, CEO, Rebecca Bonnici says Malta’s English Language Teaching (ELT) sector is at a turning point, with its future hinging on better enforcement and the need for a long-term strategy.

Speaking from an international education fair in Berlin, she calls for Malta to rethink how it approaches educational tourism, insisting that long-term sustainability hinges on prioritising quality over sheer volume.

The global marketplace with local vulnerabilities

The Berlin fair is one of the major global events where language schools connect with agents who recruit students from around the world. These relationships – when reliable –are the backbone of the sector. But, as Ms. Bonnici notes, not all agents operate ethically.

“It’s not the first time we’ve had cowboys who just pick up sticks and leave students stranded,” she says. Better vetting of partners by ALL operators is essential to prevent reputational harm.

Malta is already “amongst the highest regulated” ELT destinations internationally. The issue, Ms Bonnici stresses, is not a shortage of regulation but the failure to update and enforce it consistently. Many of the laws shaping the industry were drafted for a different era of tourism and have not kept pace with modern student expectations or global competition.

The bureaucratic trap still hindering non-EU students

One of the most pressing challenges is the bureaucratic limbo faced by non-EU students, when it comes to working rights. Malta markets itself as a destination where students can study and work – same as our EU competitor, Ireland, yet the system that supports this promise is disjointed.

A student may secure a visa through Identità but then must wait up to 90 days for JobsPlus to conduct another layer of checks before being allowed to work legally.

“This is completely counterproductive,” she says. “We’ve sold Malta as a place that needs employees… but JobsPlus is still not integrated into the Identita systems.”

This disconnect discourages the very students Malta should be attracting – those who stay longer, contribute more to the economy, and integrate into local communities.

Ms Bonnici describes families making huge sacrifices – “selling cars to send their children to get a better education on our shores” – only to see their prospects blocked by slow institutional processes.

The wider impact of educational tourism

The BELS owner believes that the value of ELT students extends far beyond tuition fees. These are long-stay visitors who live in local neighbourhoods, support small businesses, and bring cultural diversity to the islands. “They’re the travellers of tomorrow, the investors in our country, and the potential clients of our higher education institutions,” she says.

However, she warns that the sector’s long-term value is undermined by a race to the bottom, with some schools offering extremely low prices to maintain numbers. “The truth is the cost of living is what it is for everyone,” she emphasises. “The cost of doing business goes up day by day.” A volume-first strategy, she argues, is unsustainable.

Regulation without enforcement: An unstable foundation 

The need for updated and enforced regulation is a recurring point in conversation with Ms Bonnici. The Travel and Tourism Act, for example, contains no dedicated category for student accommodation. Schools must rely on “Holiday Furnished Premises” or “hostel’ licences – designed for short stay tourists rather than learners whose stay averages 2.8 weeks – which leads to mismatched expectations.

“Students don’t come here for a TV in their room,” she says. “They want a desk to do their homework.” The lack of a proper licensing structure enables low-quality operators to offer substandard accommodation that undermines Malta’s reputation abroad.

“In other cases the laws are there,” she says, echoing an industry insight attributed to Tony Zahra. “It’s just about enforcing them.”

Her critique extends to Malta’s broader tourism model. Speaking about Comino, she describes instances where the natural experience is drowned out by “massive boats playing music at inconceivable volume.” To her, it reflects a pattern of prioritising short-term gain over long-term value. “Crushing the natural beauty you’re using to attract visitors is short sighted,” she warns.

Looking toward 2050: A chance to redefine Malta’s educational identity

Despite these challenges, Ms Bonnici remains optimistic about the future. She sees potential in the government’s Vision 2050 strategy and argues that Malta should lean more heavily into its cultural and artistic assets. She speaks with admiration about MICAS, describing it as “Malta’s most recently added gem - a labyrinth of calm and pure beauty,” and highlights Malta’s growing art, theatrical and musical scenes as strengths that can enrich the student experience.

“For me, ELT began as a summer job - until it became my vocation,” she says. That sense of purpose now fuels her advocacy for systemic reform – “let’s all compete - but on an even playing field.”.

She emphasises that real transformation requires a collective effort. Schools must uphold standards, teachers and staff must be supported, host families must feel valued, and government agencies must work in sync. Ultimately, she believes systemic change can only come from coordinated leadership at the national level.

Towards a sustainable ELT ecosystem

Ms Bonnici imagines a future in which Malta & Gozo’s ELT sector is not only profitable but sustainable – economically, socially, and culturally.

If the country updates its legal frameworks, enforces its existing laws, and streamlines its bureaucracy, Malta can evolve beyond being a budget alternative in the global English education market.

Instead, it can become a destination that offers meaningful, transformative educational experiences rooted in the depth of its culture and the richness of island life itself.