The number of non-Maltese students enrolled in pre-primary to secondary schools during 2022-2023, increased by 15.6 per cent when compared to the previous academic year, the National Statistics Office said on Thursday.

It did not issue figures for the last scholastic year or the present one.

"One in every four students enrolled with private institutions were non-Maltese (25.0 per cent), while in State-run institutions 21.1 per cent of students enrolled were non-Maltese," the NSO said with regard to the 2022-23 scholastic year," the NSO said.

63.5 per cent of non-Maltese students enrolled in pre-primary to secondary education during 2022-2023 were third-country nationals.

Students by academic year and citizenship. Source: NSO.

By far the biggest number of EU students were Italian, at 1,138. Second came Bulgarians at 343 and Romanians at 259.

Syrians formed the biggest group of non-EU students at 679, followed by Britons at 640 and Serbians at 561.

State schools have the smallest average class size 

The NSO figures also show that the average class size for schools at the primary level was 18.6 students per class, and 19.2 students per class at secondary level.

The smallest class sizes at both primary and secondary levels were seen in State schools, while church schools held the highest average class sizes at both levels.

Average class sizes. NSO data.

In 2022-23 the average class size in primary schools was 16.5 pupils in state schools, 20.5 in private schools and 23.9 in church schools.

Class sizes in secondary schools was an average of 17.6 in state schools, 19.1 in private schools and 22.5 in church schools.