The European Social
Fund Plus 2021-2027 provides an important opportunity for Malta to support
investment in its human capital, which remains Malta’s most important resource.
Such support will primarily be implemented under the European Social Fund Plus
(ESF+) Programme, which continues to represent the main funding arm for
investment in human resources in Malta, complementing other EU funded
interventions and investments. The ESF+ programme,
with a total budget of some € 205 million, will continue building on the
support provided under previous programming periods and reflect also the
challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The latter has impacted
labour market stability and the provision of services in various sectors,
including health and education and it has also exposed vulnerable groups
including people at risk of poverty to increased socioeconomic risk. Within
this context, investment under the ESF+ programme has the objective of
strengthening capacities in all sectors falling within the scope of the ESF+
regulation, namely employment, education, health and social sectors, with the
objective of improving and adapting services to new and emerging needs.
The programme
includes the following five (5) priorities:
·
Priority 1: Enhancing employability and
labour market resilience;
·
Priority 2: Fostering active inclusion for
all;
·
Priority 3: Quality and inclusive education
and enhanced lifelong learning for growth;
·
Priority 4: Addressing material deprivation;
and
·
Priority 5: Enhancing social innovation.
ESF+ resources will
be mobilised to target the needs of vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalised
groups in a direct manner, particularly children, persons at risk of poverty,
exclusion and material deprivation, persons with a disability, as well as
youths and foreign nationals, in order to foster inclusion and integration. The
programme will also improve, modernise and increase the accessibility of
educational provision, strengthen efforts to retain strong and stable
employment levels, as well as promote new employment opportunities, including
to reduce the gender pay gap.
A planned operation
of strategic importance is that of promoting quality education and reducing
early school leaving, with such operation allocated a total budget of € 45
million and is intended to take preventive and active measures across various
years of education, with a view to strengthen education quality, including
through digital means as well as improve staff competences in line with
pedagogical developments. This initiative will therefore promote
capacity-building measures for educators, pupils and their guardians, in
addition to developing inclusive education pathways for all children.
The approved ESF+ Programme for
Malta 2021-2027 may be found here.