The operational cost per student at the San Lawrenz primary school during scholastic year 2013/2014 was €9,000 a year, almost three times the national average.

The school, which is capable of handling 150 students, has a student population of just 43 across all year groups leading to very small class sizes.

A similar situation was recorded in neighbouring Għarb, which had a student population of 74 even though the school is capable of handling 170 students.

This was the result of a National Audit Office review of class sizes in state primary schools.

It proposed that schools with very few students should be amalgamated to save on operational costs.

The audit found that 30 out of 68 State primary schools had a student population below 200 across all year groups in 2013. These circumstances led to five of these 30 schools operating with an average class size below 10 students, four of which were located in Gozo.

The operational expenditure on primary schools, including the kinder years, amounted to more than €68 million of which 94 per cent were wages.

The full report may be read in the pdf link below.