His dreams as a young boy were to become a footballer. Later, he thought it would be better off as a Formula 1 driver. Then, as he grew older, he wanted to be a pilot.

Become a lawyer, or a Prime Minister, had not been part of his childhood dreams, Lawrence Gonzi told children attending Skolasajf at the St Anne Primary School in Marsascala, this morning.

Spending a morning with the children, the Prime Minister, accompanied by his wife Kate, was shown around the school and played a game of Prisoners with the children.

He was never a prisoner, but at the end of the game he gave all those who were “a Presidential pardon”.

Following the visit, he joined the children on a fun open top bus ride to Castille Palace in Valletta.

He showed the children around the ambassadors hall, the cabinet room and his office.

When he asked the children if any of them wanted to become Prime Minister, several hands shot up. They were obviously not put off by the “ugly” faces of the portraits in the cabinet room.

The children wanted to know if President George Abela had been in the same class as Dr Gonzi.

Dr Gonzi replied in the affirmative and said that another classmate of his had been Austin Gatt, the Transport Minister.

When he was asked which was his favourite country abroad, the Prime Minister diplomatically avoided the question saying he liked several countries and that he found Maltese nationals in every corner of the world, including in Papua New Guinea.