Doreen Said Pace is Head of College Network within Malta’s Ministry for Education, Sports, Youth, Research and Innovation, a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta, and a dissertation supervisor and assessor. She holds a Doctorate from the University of Sheffield in Assessment for Learning and has led initiatives promoting formative assessment across schools. A recognised practitioner with the Association for Educational Assessment – Europe, she has published and presented internationally on inclusion and assessment.

This study examines Malta’s 2018 assessment reform, which replaced mid year exams with continuous assessment to promote holistic learning. Despite training and consultation, public responses, analysed through sentiment and thematic analysis of Facebook comments, revealed confusion and scepticism, especially in the Primary cycle. Findings highlight a gap between policy intent, implementation, and public understanding, emphasising the need for clearer communication and greater assessment literacy among stakeholders to ensure meaningful reform.