A total of 3,214 applications have been submitted for places in church schools for the next scholastic year. The number of available places is 1,063, the Archbishop's Curia said.

The number of applications had maintained a gradual decline. Last year there were 3,328, in 2006 there were 3,352, in 2005, 3,436, in 2004 3,771 and in 2003, 4,097.

The Curia said the draw by ballot to fill places in the kindergarten classes will be held today at 3 p.m. at the Curia.

The draw to fill places in the pre-grade classes will be held tomorrow and that for Year 1 classes will be held on Wednesday, all at the same time and place.

The following is a break-down of the applications and vacancies available this year:

Kindergarten

Applications: 1,016

Vacancies: 269 including 59 special cases, 96 brothers and sisters and 114 whose name will be drawn by ballot.

Pre-grade:

Applications: 1,101

Vacancies: 330 including 86 special cases, 119 brothers and sisters and 22 boys and 103 girls whose name will be drawn by ballot.

Year One:

Applications: 1,097

Vacancies: 464, including 87 to be filled by special cases, 167 brothers and sisters, 2 to be filled by Church Homes, and 71 boys and 137 girls whose name will be drawn by ballot.