| Name of the reform | Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex Students in Schools Policy |
| Country | Malta |
| Year | 2015 |
| Educational level | ISCED 3 |
| Kind / type | Other |
| Coverage | National |
Summary
In 2015, Malta introduced the Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex Students in Schools Policy to create a safe and inclusive school environment for trans, gender variant and intersex students. The policy mandates schools to create personalised transition plans, update internal student records with preferred names/genders, and safeguard privacy. It requires school administrators to provide gender-neutral facilities and reduce gender segregation in school activities.
Agenda Setting
Context:
The Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex Students in Schools Policy was developed as part of Malta’s broader move towards inclusive education and followed concerns about the experiences and safety of trans, gender variant and intersex students in schools. It was situated within Malta’s Education Strategy Framework for 2014–2024 and the Respect for All Framework.
Aim:
The primary aim of the Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex Students in Schools Policy is to ensure a safe, inclusive, and non-discriminatory educational environment where the gender identity and bodily diversity of all trans, gender variant, and intersex students are fully respected. It provides school leaders and educators with clear, institutional guidance on daily practicalities, such as protecting student privacy, offering gender-neutral facilities, and updating school registries. Ultimately, the policy aims to eliminate marginalisation, prevent bullying, and ensure these students have equal opportunities for well-being and academic success across the entire school system.
Target Groups
Primarily trans, gender variant and intersex students, while the policy applies a whole-school approach covering students, educators, administrators and other members of the school communities.
Formulation and Implementation
Legislative documents:
Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex Students in Schools Policy (2015) — official policy developed by Malta’s Ministry for Education and Employment:
Official Policy Document | Policy on Inclusive Education in Schools
Key actions / main measures:
The Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex Students in Schools Policy implements several key measures to support students, beginning with a personalised Student Transition Management Plan developed with school staff to coordinate emotional and academic support. Schools must immediately respect and use the student’s preferred name and pronouns across all internal registries, class lists, and official documents, including retroactively amending graduation certificates to protect privacy during future job searches. Students also hold the right to choose the school uniform that aligns with their gender identity rather than their sex assigned at birth. Furthermore, schools must grant access to restrooms and changing rooms that match the student’s identity while actively developing gender-neutral facilities. Finally, the framework mandates specific anti-bullying protocols targeting anti-trans harassment, along with educator training to foster inclusive language throughout the school environment.
Evaluation and Sustainability
Early assessments of the Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex Students in Schools Policy, most notably a comprehensive review by the Malta Gay Rights Movement and the Aditus Foundation, revealed a significant implementation gap due to widespread lack of awareness and formal training among school administrators and educators. Despite the progressive nature of the guidelines, many school leaders were unfamiliar with their practical obligations, teachers felt unequipped to support transitioning youth, and trans students themselves were often unaware of their newly granted rights. Furthermore, there remains limited evidence of a systematic outcome evaluation – which refers to a structured, data-driven investigation designed to measure the long-term, quantitative results of the policy over time – leaving it unclear whether these measures have concretely reduced discrimination, lowered bullying rates, or measurably improved the mental well-being and academic performance of LGBTIQ+ students (Assessment Reference | Ministry Policy Framework).
Transferability Potential
The Maltese Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex Students in Schools Policy illustrates how a whole-school policy can address both formal discrimination and the practical barriers faced by gender-diverse students by translating high-level human rights laws into concrete classroom mandates, such as flexible uniform codes and retroactively updated diplomas. Transferability would require a supportive legal and policy environment, ideally rooted in state legislation that recognises gender identity based on self-determination, alongside clear guidance for schools and comprehensive, mandatory staff training to bridge the gap between policy text and everyday educational culture. Countries adopting this approach should also clarify how responsibilities are divided among schools, parents, and education authorities, setting clear legal boundaries for student autonomy, particularly when a minor’s gender expression is not supported by their family. Finally, it is crucial to ensure that implementation is rigorously monitored through regular feedback loops, institutional audits, and independent data collection, rather than relying on the passive existence of a policy document alone to guarantee student safety and well-being.
The added value would be in not only presenting the example but reflecting in each step on what policy makers / knowledge brokers can learn from the reform and be used in their own contexts.