Mtarfa primary school to be shut down because of worsening structural problems

Students from the Mtarfa primary school will be transferred to the Msida Hub after the education authorities were forced to close down their school because of cracks in the building.

Studies have confirmed that the Mtarfa school building structure has continued to deteriorate, the Education Ministry said on Thursday.

Details of the structural problems and the student transfer were shared with the children's parents and educators during a meeting held earlier today.

Parents were informed that the last day at the Mtarfa school for the 92 students will be 15 February when they stop for the carnival holidays. The students will resume their schooling on 22 February at the Msida Hub, which until recently hosted students who undertook the alternative programme.

"This decision was made to ensure the safety of both children and educators," the ministry said.

The building housing the Mtarfa school was built by the British in 1893 to serve as the Officers' Mess. The school served students from Kindergarten to Year 6.

The building started displaying fissures over recent years as a result of the natural movement of the ground beneath but the cracks continued to worsen and raising concern over the building's stability.