For the 2023/2024 school year, 275 new professionals, including educators, KGE (Resource Centre) staff, and LSEs (Learning Support Educators), have been hired, Education Minister Clifton Grima said.

Moreover, 566 other professional contracts have been extended.

On Monday, 25 September, 7,712 educators will return to their workplaces at the state schools and on Wednesday, 27 September, 28,757 students from the first year of primary school up to the twelfth year of secondary school will also begin their new academic year.

5,942 kindergarten students will commence their school year on 2 October, totalling to 34,699 students who will be present in state schools.

“The new school year is commencing after a summer filled with extensive preparations that ranged from administrative and academic matters to infrastructure and digital projects,” a government statement said.

Throughout this school year, there will also be 2,410 free school transport routes, out of which 925 are designated for students attending state schools.

In total, 32,833 students from kindergarten to secondary school levels (13,774 from state schools and 19,059 from church and independent schools) will benefit from this service.

The statement read that over the summer, 12 major educational infrastructure projects have been completed by the Schools for Tomorrow Foundation, with an investment of €20 million.

There are also four other projects still ongoing, with an investment of €53 million, making a total investment in educational infrastructure of €73 million.

These projects are in addition to a €1 million investment in 514 other maintenance projects carried out during the summer by the Ministry's workers.

The statement said that over the past months, there has also been significant work accomplished by the Information Management Unit in the digital infrastructure sector, who have completed 57 projects, including the installation of Interactive Flat Panels, digital infrastructure improvements, and the development of computerized systems that will benefit both educators and students.

“Right after the end of the previous school year, intensive work began to prepare for the new school year, starting on 27 September. This work ensured that everything required, whether academic or related to infrastructure and administration, leads to the opening of another academic year, benefiting both educators and students,” Grima said.

Grima said that there was a significant exercise to ensure that classrooms in all state schools have their educators for all subjects, while a massive effort focused on the educational environment.

“This was not just infrastructural work but also work in the digital and technological sector to continuously improve the educational experience,” Grima said.

He thanked educators and administrative staff in all schools for their commitment and dedication to the welfare of our children.

Grima also congratulated all students who will start another school year, which, from the very beginning, has the goal of providing them with all possible opportunities to achieve their individual aspirations.