Parents have raised concerns over plans for a school to close down in Attard, which will be demolished and replaced by apartment blocks.

A planning application seeks to demolish the existing Thi Lakin school, excavate two levels of garages (total of 39 lock-up garages) and construct three apartment blocks, consisting of a retail outlet, 4 maisonettes and an apartment at ground floor level, 6 apartments on each floor at first, second and third floor level (total of 18 apartments) and 6 penthouses at a receded upper level.

Parents who contacted this newsroom expressed worry over the situation.

Parents said that they received an email from the school saying that it will close its doors in June 2021, and that they received this news now, rather than at the beginning of the scholastic year.

One parent told The Malta Independent that they are both angry and upset by the news. Parents also raised concerns about having to find a new school for their children when they have no help to do so, and were also concerned about what will happen to the teachers there, who will have to now find another job.

The Malta Independent contacted the Education Ministry and asked whether the government will provide any support to these parents to help them find schools for their children once it closes and whether the government will provide any support to the teachers who will lose their jobs there?

"Qualified educators and LSEs who hold a warrant can apply through the open calls that the Ministry for Education has at the moment. Being a particular case, parents of affected children can apply to transfer them to their local state school, an independent school or they may also approach any of the Church Schools," a spokesperson from the Education Ministry said.