Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef has presented the third batch of the 2025 High Achievers' Awards, recognising hundreds of the nation's highest-performing students while reaffirming the government's commitment to academic excellence, responsible learning and character development.
The award ceremony was held at the CHSE Hall in Hulhumalé and attended by the Vice President, Minister of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development Dr Ismail Shafeeu, Cabinet ministers and senior government officials.
During the ceremony, the Vice President presented awards to the first group of 16 students from among the 42 who achieved five A* grades in the 2025 higher secondary examinations. He also honoured the first group of seven students from among the 48 who obtained four A* grades.
The third phase of the High Achievers' Awards recognised a total of 390 students for their outstanding academic performance. The recipients included 55 students who secured ten A grades, 67 who achieved nine A grades, 61 who obtained eight A grades, 60 who earned seven A grades, 57 who received six A grades, 42 students who attained five A* grades and 48 students who achieved four A* grades in the higher secondary examinations.
Delivering the keynote address, Education Minister Dr Ismail Shafeeu urged students to take greater responsibility for their own learning, cautioning that excessive dependence on private tuition is affecting both academic development and student wellbeing.
The Minister noted that many students now spend between four and six hours each day attending tuition classes, stressing that while additional academic support can be beneficial, it should complement rather than replace classroom learning. He emphasised the importance of improving the quality of teaching in schools so that parents and students can have greater confidence in the education provided through the formal school system.
Dr Shafeeu also warned that long hours spent on tuition and solitary study can negatively affect students' physical and mental health. He called on educators and parents to help students develop effective time management skills while encouraging them to participate in meaningful extracurricular activities that support their overall development.
Highlighting findings from the latest National Assessment of Learning Outcomes, the Minister said stronger academic performance is closely linked to students' personal interest and commitment to learning. He stressed that cultivating self-responsibility from Grades 1 to 12 would help students develop critical thinking, effective study habits and a lifelong passion for learning.
The Minister also underscored the importance of character education, saying academic success must go hand in hand with strong moral values. He revealed that the first phase of the government's "Bingaa" character development programme has been completed successfully, with more than 3,900 activities conducted to instil values such as compassion, responsibility, honesty, patriotism, cleanliness and the importance of prayer.
Dr Shafeeu said the initiative aims to nurture students who not only excel academically but also possess the character and life skills needed to become responsible and productive members of society.
Referring to research conducted by the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, the Minister noted that 97 per cent of education professionals believe schools have a responsibility to develop students' character. He added that many developed countries place strong emphasis on explicit character education, and said the Maldives should adopt similar successful practices.
He further stressed that building students' character cannot be left to schools alone. Instead, he called for a united effort involving parents, educators and the wider community to foster respect for teachers, strengthen positive values and raise a generation that earns the trust and admiration of society.
The 2025 High Achievers' Awards will continue over two days, with three award sessions held on the opening day and two more scheduled to conclude the programme.
