It was also only of the only counties in the country to see a drop in enrolments.
Offaly was one of the only counties in the country to see a reduction in the number of primary school students over the last decade.
The Department of Education's latest Statistical Bulletin shows the county saw a decrease of 2.9%, the largest reduction in Ireland.
The report shows Laois primary schools recorded a 2.4% increase in enrolments in the last ten years, while the figure in Westmeath is a jump of 4.1%.
Roscommon saw the largest rise in the country, at 14%.
However, the Department says enrolments are projected to continue to fall over the next 12 years.
Looking at the picture for secondary schools, Laois saw one of the largest increases over the past decade, at nearly a third.
Offaly schools recorded a rise of 18%, while Westmeath saw the smallest jump in the country in the past ten years, at 5%.
Post-primary enrolments are projected to rise, before hitting their peak in the 2025/26 academic year.
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