No evidence has been found to support allegations of an administrative and operational nature at the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, the Education Ministry said.

The inquiry had started after a senior member of the Mcast staff made serious allegations of irregularities.

In a statement, the ministry said that after the allegations were made, it set up an inquiry board to investigate them in July. The allegations had also been referred to the police.

The ministry said that in spite of the conclusions, the minister still recommended that the report was immediately handed over to the police.

It also passed on the report to the Mcast board of governors. The inquiry, the ministry said, highlighted a number of administrative and operational shortcomings at Mcast over the years and under different administrations.

The ministry requested Mcast to analyse these parts of the report and take the necessary action.

It concluded that since the report was passed on to the police for investigations, it had been legally advised not to publish it.

Mcast was to continue to cooperate with the authorities concerned.

Times of Malta had reported that the allegations of a criminal nature included claims of possible sexual abuse by members of the college staff in a programme for psychologically-challenged students. The programme, called Pathway, was the main focus of the allegations.