The number of employees at the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools doubled between 2013 and 2016, according to information tabled in parliament, but this included the creation of previously inexistent and, seemingly important posts.

Replying to a Parliamentary Question by PN MP George Pullicino, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said that FTS had 20 employees in April 2013 but the number had risen to 41 by November 2016 (the PQ was answered in mid-December).

Mr Bartolo justified this by saying that, in the previous three and a half years the FTS had stepped up its investment at state schools.

He tabled two reports, compiled by former FTS CEO Philip Rizzo, one detailing the number of projects carried out during the same period and the second on ‘performance indicators.’

The first shows that no less than 17 FTS projects had been completed by the date of the minister’s reply while two others were scheduled for completion by the end of December and the end of February 2017 respectively.

The second report stated that, although the number of workers at the FTS had doubled, employee productivity had increased by 27% between 2012 and 2016.

Some of the new posts created after 2013 include that of CEO, which was taken up by Mr Rizzo, a new Chief Operating Officer, a Head of Communications, a Head Engineer, a Head Architect and Design, two Project Managers, a Health and Safety Officer, a Procurement Executive, two Site Supervisors and a maid.

Last on the list is the role of ‘Head of Summer Projects, Maintenance Division and Coordination.’ A footnote says that this is an employee who is on FTS books but is “seconded to another department.”

The employee in question is Edward Caruana, a former canvasser for Mr Bartolo who is at the heart of the FTS corruption allegations. He was removed from the FTS after Philip Rizzo made serious allegations against him in email correspondence with the education minister. Rizzo later resigned his post, claiming that Mr Bartolo had failed to report the cases of corruption at FTS.

Mr Caruana was first transferred out of FTS and subsequently seconded to the Rural Affairs Department but is still technically employed by foundation. He suspended himself in November but still receives his €36,000-a-year basic wage.

The police are currently investigating the corruption and fraud claims, and the probe also includes a property in Rabat which was also flagged as suspicious by Philip Rizzo. “People will ask where Caruana got €400k to build a six-apartment block,” he had warned Mr Bartolo in the emails.

The Education Minister has been accused by the PN of procrastinating and failing to take action against Mr Caruana when he was made aware of the allegations. The Education Minister insists he wanted to wait until he had tangible proof, in order to have a stronger case against Caruana, whom he kicked out of the FTS.