Educators in schools across the island have been told to increase their vigilance and conduct spot checks after a surge in the discovery of illegal items in students’ bags, including flick knives, penknives and other sharp instruments.

Sources said teachers, learning support educators and school heads were asked to be extra watchful and increase the frequency of spot checks on students’ school cases. The sources said kitchen knives and razor blades were also found.

A spokesperson for the education ministry confirmed when contacted that the school authorities had discovered 30 of such “sharp objects” so far this scholastic year. He did not give more details on what was found exactly. Of these 30 cases, seven were in primary schools, three in middle school and 20 involved secondary school students.

“When found, all items are confiscated and disciplinary action as deemed fit by our respectable professionals has always been taken,” the spokesperson said.

His reply, however, seemed to downplay the severity of the discoveries. “This is nothing new as it’s a fact that, for decades, students have taken to school items they are not supposed to have,” he said as he went on to say that the data collected was from schools with a total population of almost 33,500.

A spokesperson for the police confirmed with Times of Malta that none of the cases had been reported to them and neither were the police asked to assist in any of the cases. The discoveries were dealt with by the school authorities internally.

While the intention was to see if they are not carrying any knife-like or other sharp

objects that may be used to harm other students, what came out of the bags was no less startling. The spot checks yielded other items deemed illegal to have at school including a substantial amount of vapes and cigarettes.

The ministry spokesperson said that, so far this year, state schools had found almost 100 vapes and there were 14 cases where cigarettes were found, including one case in primary and another in middle school. The bulk of vapes (78) were found in the possession of secondary school students although there were four cases reported in primary schools and 10 in middle schools.

Sources said that, separately, the educational authorities were also looking into two incidents in recent weeks after students scaled the school gate. One of the students was not seen escaping but was caught on his way back into the school from another entrance. It emerged that the student had been bullied into committing the act. However, despite being told this, the school heads suspended the gate scaler rather than taking any form of action against the bullies.