Gonzi visits school with no utility bills

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday paid a visit to the new primary school in Pembroke, touted as the first building in Malta that doesn't have to pay for electricity.

The school, he said, was a "reflection of where this country wanted to be and how it was getting there", drawing attention to the €270 million the government planned to spend on education in the new year.

The school in Pembroke, forming part of St Clare's College, is the result of a €3.6 million investment, €1 million below the targeted budget of €4.6 million.

It runs exclusively on renewable energy, with a wind turbine, photovoltaic cells and solar water heaters churning out 36,000 units of electricity a year, enough to power a further five houses in the vicinity. Dr Gonzi said over 10,000 computers would be networked in an e-learning initiative, at a cost of €16 million.