55,000 pupils returned to their classes in state, church and independent schools today.

There are 101 state schools, 80 run by the church and 55 independent schools including kinder, primary and secondary.

Education Minister Dolores Cristina this morning visited one of the smallest schools - Safi primary, which has a student population of just 140. Despite being so small, this school last year participated  in the European Entrepreneurship Scheme and was granted €4,000. It also won an HSBC sponsorship to participate in an environment project through the installation of a solar energy system.

The minister also visited the Learning Support Centre and the boys' secondary, both in Naxxar.

The Ministry of Education published statistics on the schools in Malta - see by clicking on the pdf below.

The ministry said there were no problems in state schools other than a few hitches in school transport. Transport is provided to 13,691 pupils, with buses making 500 trips twice daily. There were 11 cases where pupils were not picked up from their homes, but by the afternoon they were taken home as usual.

The ministry also acknowledged problems regarding the purchase of school uniforms, with a consignment having arrived in Malta late after a ship was held up for over a month in a Far East port.  Pupils were allowed to go to school in T-shirts until the issue is settled.