It is run in two government schools, St Theresa Junior Lyceum at Mriehel and Dun Xand primary school at Santa Venera and is attended by some 400 children aged between two and 15 .

In a brief address, Dr Galea spoke said that in recent weeks, private summer schools had been registering with the Education Ministry with the aim of evaluating their educational value for VAT-exemption purposes. A total of 16 schools had so far applied.

The deadline for such registration for private summer schools that wish to operate next summer is the end of October.