‘Silenced voices’ : exploring the experiences of Maltese learning support educators working in state schools

Abstract

This paper examines the roles, challenges, and lived experiences of three Learning Support Educators (LSEs) working in Maltese state schools, with a particular focus on the impact of socio-economic deprivation and systemic constraints. Two of the participants are based in primary schools. One supports a student in a socially deprived area who faces neglect and multiple life challenges. The other works as a Nurture LSE, offering essential emotional and behavioural support to children struggling with issues such as poverty, neglect, abuse, and poor hygiene. She reflects on the transformative potential of nurture groups in equipping students with coping mechanisms; while also highlighting the stigma such groups face from other educators, as well as the chronic underfunding that limits their impact. The third participant is based in a Learning Support Zone (LSZ) in a state secondary school, where she supports students dealing with complex issues including low self-esteem, family trauma, parental separation, and economic hardship. Despite holding qualifications equivalent to those of a teacher, she describes the persistent lack of recognition for her role, noting how LSEs are systematically viewed as subordinate within the educational hierarchy. Using a narrative research methodology, this study foregrounds the authentic voices of LSEs, providing insight into the often-invisible labour they perform. Their testimonies reveal the silencing and marginalisation they endure within a rigid system that undervalues their work. Bound by institutional hierarchies, resource limitations, and social stigma, these educators struggle to advocate for themselves—even as they play a crucial role in supporting some of the most vulnerable students. The findings call for urgent recognition, structural support, and a re-evaluation of the systemic positioning of LSEs within the education sector.