Five new schools in five years - Evarist Bartolo

Report by Jean Pierre Cassar

The government will be constructing five new schools during the next five years, education minister Evarist Bartolo said.

Speaking during a press conference in Kalkara, Bartolo explained that beyond the €15 million being invested in schools' maintenance, the government will continue the previous administration's plans to build a new school every year.

Praising the previous administration's record in education, Bartolo said: "we will continue the good work initiated by my predecessors."

Giving an example, the minister explained that the primary school in St Paul's Bay, which hosts over 800 Maltese and foreign students, cannot expend any further, therefore a new school is needed.

Earlier this year, this newspaper was informed that the sale of surplus schools for their development into commercial or residential property could be the only way to finance an ambitious €60 million programme for the construction of new schools.

Schools built by the Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools (FTS) - the entity responsible for the construction of new schools and their development - were being financed by a €73 million bank loan during the previous administration.

In this morning's press conference, Bartolo highlighted the government's main achievements in the field in its first three months, including the budget increase for scholarships, which have attracted over 1,000 applicants.

Bartolo also underlined the government's plans on literacy, increasing accessibility persons with larning difficulties and the Jobs+ scheme.

Speaking on the government's plans to introduce co-ed schools, Bartolo said that his ministry was holding talks with private schools who have experience in co-education to draw on their expertise and knowledge.