Education ministry will not publish MCAST inquiry report
‘We gave all the pertinent details in report summary’ – ministry spokesperson
An independent inquiry into payroll management systems at the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) is being kept under wraps by the Education Ministry.
The ministry announced last month that disciplinary action will be taken against MCAST staff as a result of the inquiry’s findings.
The inquiry came in the wake of €2.3 million payroll fraud scheme allegedly perpetrated by former MCAST manager Francine Farrugia.
A request by Times of Malta to be given a full copy of the inquiry report was refused by the ministry.
Similar inquiry reports, such as those into the theft of 132kg of cannabis resin from a secure army facility and into disability claim fraud, have been published by the government in the past.
An education ministry spokesperson insisted that all the “pertinent details” as well as a “covering note” about the MCAST report had already been published in an official press release. The press release gave an education ministry summary of the report, rather than publishing the actual findings. According to the summary, the college’s payroll systems were found to be substandard.
Times of Malta has reported that MCAST was warned about the lack of proper payroll controls by the auditor general back in 2019, six years before the funds were allegedly embezzled by Farrugia.
The ministry said in its statement that certain unnamed MCAST officials had failed to give a true picture about the college’s efforts to improve its payroll systems based on the auditor general’s feedback.
It said the inquiry had noted that certain aspects related to finance and payroll clearly needed to be improved and must be given due attention. The systems, structures, composition, roles and procedures must be reviewed and, where necessary, changed, it added.
As a result of the inquiry, disciplinary proceedings will be initiated against individuals who, in some way or another, failed in their duties, the ministry said. The ministry added that it will ensure the report’s findings will be implemented.
Farrugia was charged in August with using millions of euros from the educational institute to buy a property, cars and to go on a €113,000 spending spree at luxury department store Harrods.
Through her work as a manager in the accounting section of MCAST, she had access to salaries and issued duplicate salary payments between September 2023 and May 2025, according to investigators.
She allegedly issued either double salary payments to herself or generated fake payroll entries for other MCAST employees.
Her bank accounts were analysed and showed that she had transferred €422,420 there and €1.9 million into her Revolut account.