The Ministry of Education has called on the police to investigate abuses in the smart card system following the findings of a an inquiry into the now defunct system, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said this morning.

He did not disclose what the abuses were, but said they had been flagged by the Auditor General report.

Students used the card to purchase educational items. There had been reports of retailers giving cash to students instead of selling them products, which were then indicated as having been sold.

The education minister was addressing a news conference at the GRTU premises in Valletta where he announced that an agreement has been reached to compensate retailers who joined the scheme in 2013 and 2014.

The agreement involves some 135 retailers who had bought the required devices, each costing some €500, to be able to process purchases under this scheme.

Following the decision to scrap the smart card system last year, retailers had complained that they would not be able to recoup the investment made to buy the devices.It was agreed that those who joined the system in 2014 would get €400 and those who enrolled a year before will get €300.

 

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