The Education Ministry has ordered an investigation following reports that a three-year-old girl was locked in a garage for three hours after being left behind on a school minibus.

“The ministry was not aware of the incident. The minister immediately issued instructions to the ministry management to investigate the matter and take all necessary actions, even why there was no supervisor, as should be,” an education ministry spokesperson told Times of Malta.  

The investigation will be conducted by retired judge Philip Sciberras, former police assistant commissioner Josie Brincat, and retired teacher and assistant director of education Salvina Muscat.

The ministry said the operator was notified and the driver has been taken off   school transport.  

Marija, 3, was reportedly left behind on a school bus in a garage for three hours after finishing her second day of primary school in Pietá on Tuesday. 

The alarm was raised after the girl's mother learnt that the toddler had not made it to the Klabb 3-16 after-school club in Ħamrun.

The bus trip formed part of the government-provided free school transport.

Apart from a driver, a supervisor should have been present to ensure the safety of students travelling on the bus. Yet no supervisor was present on the van, according to reports. 

The case, which reportedly happened on Tuesday, was first reported by Lovin Malta.

When the mother called the primary school, she was informed that her daughter was not at Klabb 3-16 but was not told where she was. 

The child was eventually reunited with her mother, Bojana, but no information or apology was forthcoming, she said. 

According to the report, Marija was left alone and in the dark on the school bus in a locked garage. 

Lovin Malta reported that the bus driver denied having left the toddler alone and had claimed that the child was dropped off at the school club after she was noticed as the minibus returned to school.