Nearly 100 schools across the island were evacuated on Monday morning as a precaution after bomb threats were received, most likely sent from a foreign IP address in a coordinated attempt which disrupted the schoolday of thousands of students.

After searches were carried out in the schools in question, the police informed schools that the threats were not to be considered as "real" and schools were therefore allowed to resume with their teaching day.

Schools informed parents that, if they did not feel comfortable leaving their children at school on this particular day, they were free to go pick them up, The Malta Independent is informed.

The threats disrupted the normal proceedings in the schools, with hours of teaching lost, and also caused severe traffic issues in areas around the schools affected. A suggestion that schools were to be closed for the whole day was dismissed following advice from experts.

Contacted by The Malta Independent, a spokesman for the police said that a number of schools had received an email with a bomb threat on Monday morning.

The emails were received by both government and Church schools just before the school day started, at around 7.30am. It is understood that nearly 100 schools, including 90 run by the government, received the threatening email. 

Students who were already inside were evacuated while parents of others who arrived at the school premises were told to stay outside with their children.

Some were later told to take the children home.

Other affected schools gathered the students in open public places, such as Independence Gardens in Sliema.

In a post on Facebook, Education Minister Clifton Grima said he understood the concern of parents after the bomb threats were received by a number of schools.

He said he felt the same concern as a father but "we need to keep calm and follow the instructions of the authorities".

The Education Ministry and Home Affairs Ministry issued a joint statement later in the morning – at 11:41am, noting that several State, Church, and independent schools had received an identical email which included a bomb threat.

The ministries said that the Police’s Cyber Crime section immediately started investigations while joint efforts between the Police, Armed Forces of Malta, and Education Ministry ensured the safety of all people in the schools affected.

An assessment by the authorities concerned determined that the threat was not specific, but all the necessary action was taken regardless in order to ensure the safety of students and staff.

Schools eventually continued with lessons, the ministries said.  

This is a developing story