President Abdullah Yameen Abdul Qayyoom has stated that with the rapid and beneficial changes made to the education sector in the country, Maldives will become the first country in this region to provide 14 years of free education.
In his state of the nation address at the first session of the Parliament, held Thursday, President Yameen said that focusing on the education and training required for a civilized society, the most important work done in 2015 was including pre-school education in the official education system, and commencing pre-school education in Government schools.
Additionally, he said that work was underway to provide free education for all Maldivian students until the age of 18, or for two additional years following the completion of the 10th grade. Therefore, with this change, Maldives will become the first nation in the region to provide 14 years of free education.
President Yameen said that 48 schools in the Maldives are currently teaching the Arabic language in order to broaden understanding of Arabic and Islamic studies.
“Under the new teacher’s framework, teachers’ salaries have been revised last year, and all teachers have been trained to at least diploma level. A 10-year project, to begin this year, will ensure teachers will then have a degree level qualification.”
President Yameen added that the most important goal of the education sector is to ensure that no child under the age of 18 is excluded from the school system, and to maintain the child at some stage of schooling, until the child is eligible for employment.
Maldives will become the first country in this region to provide 14 years of free education: President
