A disciplinary board will "in the coming days" decide what action to take against three teachers who reported sick but were instead allegedly shopping in London.

The three female teachers from the Gozitan boys' secondary school Ninu Cremona in Victoria had reported sick on October 30 last year but were allegedly on an early morning flight to London, sources said. The shopping trip lasted until November 3, spanning the weekend and two school holidays.

The Education Ministry confirmed the three teachers presented medical certificates to justify their absence although a doctor, sent by the Gozo college principal, did not find them at home when visiting on the same day they reported sick.

"It will be the disciplinary board that decides what further action should be taken, if any," the spokesman said, when asked whether the ministry had asked the police to investigate allegations the medical certificates were issued fraudulently.

In such cases the Public Service Management Code regulated all action that needed to be taken, he added.

"Once there was an allegation that such teachers were not actually on sick leave but were abroad, then the internal investigation process was implemented and this has led to disciplinary proceedings," the spokesman said.

The disciplinary board was appointed in the first week of December.

The three teachers were accompanied on their trip by a fourth teacher from the girls' secondary school Agius de Soldanis, who, according to the ministry, was granted "special leave" by the school headmistress.

The ministry confirmed it was not according to government policy for teachers to be granted special leave on the eve of public or school holidays. However, it said the headmistress approved the request to "make up for extra duties" performed by the individual in her free time during the summer holidays.

"Even though the school head did this in good faith, she has been notified such action should not be repeated," the spokesman said.

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