Mcast knew of lecturers' 'improper sexual behaviour' and did nothing - report

The management team at Mcast knew of "improper sexual behaviour" by a clique of lecturers and did not take action, an inquiry report from 2019 has revealed. 

Quoting from a separate report that had been concluded in 2017, the 2019 report shows how "a clique of academic staff" had, among other things, "behaved unprofessionally and unethically during a live-in in a hotel, setting a bad example, including inappropriate sexual behaviour and drinking of alcohol close to and in the presence of students most vulnerable in society". 

The report does not name the lecturers who formed part of this "clique". 

The probe also found that when the series of abuse was reported to the then-principal Steve Cachia, "he took no action". 

The 2019 report only came to light after it was presented in court in a case against MaltaToday. The inquiries into a series of shortcomings at Mcast were ordered after the former head of HR Josephine Abdilla reported concerns of abusive behaviour and sexual misconduct involving college staff.

Abdilla had filed a defamation suit against Matthew Vella, as executive editor of MaltaToday and the author of two stories published both online and in print earlier in...