Free swimming lessons pilot to be extended nationwide, Abela says
Lessons were a Labour manifesto pledge
A pilot project offering free swimming lessons to children in Cottonera will be extended to other facilities across Malta and Gozo, Prime Minister Robert Abela said during a visit to the Cottonera Sports Complex pool.
Abela said the decision to include the initiative among the first measures of the legislature’s opening 100 days had been a “conscious and thoughtful” one, arguing that investment in sport was directly linked to the wellbeing of Maltese and Gozitan families.
The Prime Minister met coaches and administrators from swimming schools providing training to children, saying that free access to swimming lessons would help children develop healthy habits from an early age.
He said swimming could also help children build discipline, independence and confidence, while encouraging them to adopt a more active lifestyle.
Swimming lessons have long formed part of organised sports programmes in Malta, with past initiatives targeting children from a young age and seeking to make water safety and basic swimming skills more accessible.
During the Cottonera visit, Abela also met members of Just Keep Swimming, a voluntary organisation led by coach Leanne Xuereb Ungaro, which provides specialised swimming lessons for children with disabilities.
Xuereb Ungaro said the lessons helped children feel safe in the water and gain self-confidence. For children with disabilities, she said, the sessions could also have a calming effect and help improve focus.
Abela said the government would continue to keep sport high on its agenda, adding that greater investment in sports facilities and programmes would lead to further improvements in people’s quality of life.
The free swimming lessons pilot will begin in Cottonera before being rolled out to other facilities nationwide.