Author: Minivan News

Tension surges in Male’ as police arrest former President Mohamed Nasheed

Photo courtesy Jaawid Naseem, Jade Photography

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has been arrested by police ahead of his trial hearing at Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court, scheduled for 4:00pm tomorrow (March 6).

Police Spokesperson Chief Inspector Hassan Haneef confirmed that Nasheed had been arrested and taken into police custody at 1:30pm today (March 5).

“We have received the order. Police have taken Nasheed into custody in order to produce him at Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court 16 hours from now,” Haneef told Minivan News.

Photos of the arrest showed several dozen police wearing balaclavas and black riot gear, several armed with rubber bullet guns, entering Nasheed’s family home in Male’ and emerging with the former president.

Shortly after the arrest, Minivan News observed President Mohamed Waheed’s brother Ali Waheed forced off his motorcycle by several dozen angry demonstrators on the main road Majeedee Magu, at the turnoff to Nasheed’s house. A second, larger group pulled Ali Waheed to safety, abandoning his motorcycle. The first group then attacked a parked military vehicle, smashing a window.

A group of people including Nasheed’s representative on the Commission of National Inquiry, Ahmed ‘Gaha’ Saeed, blocked the road, trying to calm the more violent protesters. One man had laid down in the middle of the street as part of a silent protest.
“People have waited a year since the coup and are very angry and unlikely to act reasonably. They could bring Male’ to a standstill,” Saeed said.
Former Environment Minister Mohamed Aslam, arriving at the scene, said “There is no plan. People are agitated, they are angry. There is no plan, there is just outrage.”

Nasheed’s latest trial hearing follows his exit from the Indian High Commission last month, after the Maldivian and Indian government came to an alleged “understanding” that he would be able to conduct a peaceful campaign and participate in an inclusive election.

The former president told Indian media on Sunday (March 3) that while he had ended his 11-day stay in the Indian High Commission, he was still not entirely free and feared an arrest warrant would be issued against him any day soon.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor confirmed to Minivan News that there were Special Operation (SO) officers outside Nasheed’s residence earlier today prior to his arrest.

“He has been taken away to Dhoonidhoo [prison], we are still in a state of shock,” Hamid said.

The former President sought refuge inside the High Commission building on February 13 after Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court ordered police to produce Nasheed at his trial hearing scheduled for later that day.

Nasheed has maintained that the charges against him – of detaining the Chief Criminal Court judge during his final days in office – are a politically-motivated effort to prevent him contesting the 2013 elections.

Nasheed spent 11 days inside the commission building before making an unannounced exit on February 23.

Following his exit from the High Commission, the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court issued a travel ban to Nasheed, preventing him from leaving the country.

UPDATES

2:30pm: Shortly after Nasheed’s arrest, Minivan News observed President Mohamed Waheed’s brother Ali Waheed being pulled off his motorcycle by several dozen angry demonstrators on the main road Majeedee Magu. A second, larger group pulled Ali Waheed to safety, abandoning his motorcycle. The first group then attacked a military vehicle, smashing a window as it tried to move past the group.

3:00pm: More people are arriving outside the City Council Building near the demonstration, nearing a hundred people or so in size. Shops in the vicinity are closed, and one man is lying down in the middle of the road, stepped over by the occasional pedestrian. People on motorcycles are stopping to look, and turning around to find another route.

3:10pm: A separate group of two dozen men are turning away traffic at the next intersection, in an apparent attempt to shut down Male’s main road. No sign of police presence yet. A man passes through the blockade with a young girl on a motorcycle, to shouts of “baghee” (traitor).

3:12pm: Nasheed’s brother Dr Nashid tweets: – “given all clear to go to Dhoonidhoo [detention centre]. Waiting for Laila [Nasheed’s wife]”. In a second tweet, he adds that Nasheed’s bodyguards “were changed this morning.”

3:28pm: President Waheed tweeted: “Assaulting my brother Ali Waheed will not help Nasheed escape justice.”

3:30pm: A pickup truck is circling Male’ calling on people to come out on the streets. Light rain earlier has since cleared up.

3:37pm: Photos circulating on social media appear to show one of Nasheed’s bodyguard being restrained by police as the former President was escorted outside his family home.

3:39pm: Approximate 30 police have arrived at the scene. Demonstators threw plastic bottles at officers, who subsequently departed after detaining former Environment Minister Mohamed Aslam. The crowd numbers around 200 people.

3:42pm: SunOnline reports that protesters on Majeedhee Magu have pushed off a uniformed police officer from his motorcycle as he was driving through the protesters. The policeman abandoned his motorcycle and left on foot when the crowd moved to attack him, Sun reports.

3:44pm: Abbas Faiz, South Asia Specialist for Amnesty International tweets: Amnesty investigating concerns that former prez Nasheed arrest politically motivated and his safety uncertain.

3:46pm: A masked man climbed up the posts on which CCTV cameras are mounted on the junction of Majeedhee Magu and Alikilegefaanu Magu and spray-painted the camera, reports Sun Online.

4:01pm: A video of Nasheed outside his house has emerged on DhiTV, titled ‘Anni’s Quarrel’. In the video, a Special Operations police officer states: “We will accompany you there.” Nasheed: “Well, let’s go then. I won’t go in that way. I am doing what is good for you… I will know better than you. Let’s go already.” [Former Foreign Minister] Naseem: “He is going, isn’t he? What is wrong with you baaghees (traitors)?” “Nasheed: Sigh. What more can I say? Even I would know these laws and responsibilities. For God’s sake, let’s just go. Let’s go quickly. Let’s just go quickly.”

4:03pm: The Maldivian Democratic Party has issued a statement condemning the arrest:

President Nasheed was arrested while walking down the street in Male’ at approximately 13:45 local time today. He was apprehended by numerous armed and masked police officers, who did not identify themselves, nor produce an arrest warrant or court summons. Nasheed’s lawyers were not informed of the arrest, or of any court summons.

President Nasheed was taken to Dhoonidhoo Island detention centre – the facility in which he was tortured during the former regime of Maumoon Gayoom.

Commenting on the arrest, the MDP’s international spokesperson Hamid Abdul Gafoor said: “Once again Dr Waheed has proven that he can’t be trusted to hold a free and fair election – despite his assurances to the international community.

“Nasheed was supposed to be on an election campaign trip but instead he is languishing in jail.

“This arrest comes just days after the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Gabriela Knaul, said the judges overseeing President Nasheed’s case had been appointed “arbitrarily”.

“Dr Waheed, in collusion with his friends in the judiciary, is pulling out all the stops to prevent President Nasheed competing in the elections.”

The UN Special Rapporteur also said that the Judicial Services Commission, which established the court trying President Nasheed, was “politicised” and subject to “external influence”.

4:07pm: The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) has issued a statement condemning an attack on Sun journalist and a VTV cameraman:

Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) strongly condemns the violent attacks carried out against a journalist and a cameraman while covering the arrest of former President Nasheed today.

The journalist from sun.mv was attacked and tore his shirt and snatched his mobile phone while VTV cameraman was attacked and snatched his video tape in his camera. Both the incidents was happened near former president Nasheeds residence. We strongly call on all parties to allow media to do its duty without any harrasements. And also call on all responsible authorities to investigate the above incidents and call on media regulatory authorities to not to allow ‘hate speech’ on media.

4:11pm: President’s Office Spokesperson Masood Imad told Minvan News: “I have already told Indian and local media that the Maldives government has made no deal with the Indian government over Nasheed’s exit from the Indian High Commission. It was never said there would be a delay in Nasheed’s trial hearing, or his court case or any other matter involving him.”

“[The government] cannot make any delay or decision based on legal matters because it is not our business, it is the judiciary’s decision,” Masood said.

Asked if Nasheed’s arrest would harm relations between Maldives and India, Masood said: “If we had made a deal and broken it, then that would be an issue. But we have not made any deal, and there has been no deal between India and the Maldives regarding Nasheed’s case. There was no understanding between the respective governments. If Nasheed thought there was an understanding, it must have been something he understood. There is no dealing between us and the judiciary on Nasheed’s judgement, It is totally up to the judiciary, we will have have no interference with the court. I did not know that the court would order police to summon Nasheed today.”

4:21pm: Scuffles are breaking out between protesters and passerbys they deem to be “baghees” (traitors). One woman clung to a man screaming as the crowd surrounded them. “There is hatred here,” said one protester. “He was asking for it. He could see there was a [blockade] but came through anyway.”

The attitude of the crowd is divided between the angry and those appealing for calm. Around 20 riot police have arrived with shields.

4:30pm: Police reinforcements have arrived at an nearby intersection, heckled by the crowd of 200 demonstrators blocking the road.

4:31pm: A middle-aged women was arrested after heckling and singing songs, and was dancing in the back of the police truck. A further five or so individuals have been arrested.

4:36pm: Police have brought the area under control and are now directing traffic.

5:30pm: The US Embassy in Colombo has issued a statement:

The United States is increasingly concerned about ongoing events in Malé. We understand that both the Police Integrity Commission and the Human Rights Commission are monitoring the situation, and that the Human Rights Commission has requested access to Former President Nasheed.  We urge all sides to remain calm, reject the use of violence, and avoid rhetoric that could increase tensions. Former President Nasheed must be accorded due process under the law regarding his pending court cases.

We urge that the Presidential elections scheduled for September 7, 2013 be free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive. The integrity of and public confidence in the Maldivian electoral process must be maintained. Accordingly, we note that all parties participating in these elections should be able to put forward the candidate of their choice. We also call upon the Government of the Maldives to implement all the recommendations of the Commission of National Inquiry (CONI) report, including the recommendations related to judicial and governmental reforms.  We continue to urge all parties to chart a way forward that strengthens Maldivian democratic institutions, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms.

5:30pm: Sun Online reports that protesters have rolled over a Redwave van (owned by shop owner Eydhafushi MP Ahmed Saleem) near Male’ City Council. The van was broken into, milk packets were taken and subsequently distributed to protesters.

5:51pm: British entrepeneur Richard Branson has tweeted on the Nasheed arrest: “Maldives former president Nasheed arrested, in court tomorrow. Hope he is treated with respect & fairness”.

6:31pm: Local media has reported that police have once again left Majeedee Magu.

7:10pm: Some 150 demonstrators remain on Majeedee Magu, situated around 20 metres from the Male’ City Council building. No police presence is witnessed by Minivan News at the current time, although traffic is still being diverted as a result of the makeshift blockade.

8:52pm: At a press conference held this evening, the Maldives Police Service have said that a total of 47 people were arrested so far during demonstrations today on Majeedee Magu.  Of those arrested 31 were male, 16 females were also detained.  Among those arrested was MDP MP Ahmed Easa, who authorities said was later released.

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MACL pays STO US$7.5 million in overdue jet fuel charges

The state-owned Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has settled US$7.5 (MVR115 million) in outstanding jet fuel charges.

The payments, owed to the State Trading Organisation (STO), were left outstanding from before the government opted last November to void a contract with Infrastructure group GMR to manage and develop Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA).

A deadline for payment of the bills had reportedly been set by the STO for December 2012, but was delayed after Singapore’s Supreme Court overturned an injunction blocking the Maldivian government from voiding its sovereign agreement with GMR.

STO Managing Director Managing Director Shahid Ali has said that after the state-owned MACL took over management of the site from GMR late last year, it also took on the developer’s existing contracts and therefore had been required to pay the outstanding fuel charges, local Newspaper Haveeru reported.

MACL is requested to pay a further US$2.5 million (MVR38.3 million) in unpaid fuel bills.

According to local media, GMR had signed a US$150 million (MVR2.3 billion) jet fuel supply deal in March last year that is set to expire in April 2013.

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Environment Ministry agrees waste management deal for northern atolls

The Maldives government yesterday (March 3) signed an agreement to implement a waste management system that will serve four atolls in the north of the country, according to local media.

Newspaper Haveeru has reported that Denmark-based contractor MT Hojgaard is to undertake work to install the system on the island of Vandhoo in Raa Atoll as part of a world bank-funded project.

The project is expected to serve 45,000 people, while also creating energy from waste when complete, according to the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

At a signing ceremony held yesterday to initiate the deal, Environment Minister Dr Mariyam Shakeela was quoted in local media as claiming that the project was part of an initiative that commenced in 2008 to find more regional approaches to waste management.

She said additionally that the waste management scheme, which the ministry expects to be operational by early 2014, would help job creation in the area.

Further plans to expand similar systems in other parts of the country are also expected, according to Haveeru.

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A flavour of “real Maldivian life”: The Observer newspaper

Writing for UK-based ‘The Observer’ newspaper, Ruaridh Nicoll asks if it is possible to experience luxury within the atolls of the Maldives without breaking the bank.

“Standing on the bone-white sand, gazing into the clear water, I watched a blacktip reef shark cruise past my big toe. It was a tiny shark, maybe 10 inches long, but it moved as if a major predator: I imagined that in its mind it was the terror of tiny things.

‘Do they bite?’ I asked.

‘No, they are completely harmless,’ said Ali, operations manager of Vilu Reef, a resort on the Maldivian atoll of South Nilandhe. ‘We’ve only had one incident with them. A small boy of maybe four managed to catch one, which is hard , and he carried it up the beach and dropped it in the swimming pool.’

There was, he said, pandemonium.

My gaze rose, over a sea richer in fish than your average aquarium, past cabanas on stilts over the water, past the reef to where a blue seaplane was landing with more guests. The Maldives, coral islands on long-extinct volcanoes, pulsed in the sun – a million visions of paradise.

I’d never thought of visiting the atolls, seeing it as a bit posh, a bit package. A friend from British Airways changed my mind. He complained that because so many visitors to the Maldives were on honeymoon (or were just plain rich), the front of their flights were always packed, while economy sat empty. I got to wondering whether it was possible to visit on the cheap.

Well, it’s not easy. One option is to avoid the tourist islands, of which there are a little short of 100, and go to the local islands, which number 200. That way you will get the flavour of the real Maldivian life, in all its Islamic constraints. It’s fascinating, but there’s no booze, you’ll spend days trying to get around on small ferries, and have to swim in a burqa (for men, that’s optional).

Most of us who work full-time would, I guess, rather indulge the dream. So I looked for a resort that wasn’t a five-star tower of marble and palm fronds and which offered deals out of season. The result was Vilu Reef, a truly international experience.

‘The Chinese are arriving in ever-larger numbers,’ said Ali. ‘And you know what’s interesting? Not many Chinese people swim.’

We were walking across the island, under the shade of the palms and through the lush and scented undergrowth, a journey which took all of five minutes.

‘Then what do the Chinese do here?’ I asked. ‘The island’s tiny.’

‘Well they walk round and round until they are bored and then they dive in. Our lifeguards are trained to look out for it. We pull them out and then we say, We can arrange swimming lessons.'”

Read more.

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Finance Ministry causes “crisis situation” for Care Society NGO

Lack of government support has caused a “crisis situation” for Care Society, the only institution providing schooling for a diversity of special needs individuals of any age and type of disability.

The Care Society was given a government-owned building in Male’s Heniveru neighborhood with a five-year lease agreement under former President Mohamed Nasheed’s government. The NGO has said it has been seeking a 20-year lease extension from President Waheed Hassan Manik’s government, to no avail.

The lease extension is necessary to secure private funds to rebuild the structure and expand services, but the Care Society has not received a definitive response from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, despite the Ministry of Housing and Environment granting their approval, Care Society Director Shidhatha Shareef told Minivan News.

“Currently the Care Society works from a private residence donated by a Saudi Prince, but our lease is up at the end of May and we might have to shut down because we have no place to go. It will be a real loss for the children,” stated Shidhatha.

“We have not received any response from the government. The Housing Ministry approved the 20-year lease extension for the new building in writing, but the Finance Ministry has final approval and they still have not provided a definite response. We just want a yes or no answer.”

Shidhatha explained the Care Society has been seeking a “sustainable long term premises” since 2006 and has spent the last four years continually talking to and meeting with government officials. In addition to the Housing and Finance Ministries, they have been in contact with the President’s Office, Vice President Mohamed Waheed Deen, the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM), and the National Disability Council.

“When we spoke to Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad about approving the lease extension he said he would ‘work on it’. Additionally, the Vice President Waheed Deen visited the premises and ‘expressed concern’ because the building is so old.

“Meanwhile, the engineers we’ve spoken to said the structure will have to be rebuilt, even the walls are not worth reusing. Care Society has a number of private investors interested in developing the building, however they are not willing to invest if the lease term expires in 2015.

“Ultimately, the government has an obligation to facilitate the process. They are mandated by the constitution and Disability Act to provide educational services to the disabled,” said Shidhatha.

Care Society has been working for the rights of the disabled for 14 years and established the Care Development Centre in 2001, a ‘special school’ for special needs individuals with all sorts of disabilities, including down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, physical disabilities, as well as the hearing and vision impaired.

This school provides services for any age, ranging from early intervention programs for one year-olds all the way to elderly individuals.

“Care Society runs the only school that caters to a diversity of special needs disorders and any age group,” Shidhatha explained.

“We work with 600 children and people with disabilities regularly, our school currently has 43 students and another 20 children on the waiting list, however we lack the space to accommodate them at this time,” she added.

Currently there are two government schools, Jamaluddin which only caters to the hearing impaired and Imaduddin which offers classes for the intellectually impaired. The problem is their age limitations, as once students exceed age 18 they are sent out of the school, Shidhatha said.

Additionally, the handful of other NGOs working with the disabled persons in the Maldives only address one type of disability or limit their target group age, Shidhatha added.

Care Society’s objectives include promoting rights of disabled people, rights of children and women, capacity building of CBOs and NGOs and assisting victims of natural disasters.

“Responsibility for ensuring disabled rights first falls on government”: Waheed

The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) began a “National Inquiry on Access to Education for Children with Disabilities” in January 2013.

The study was launched in November 2012 to “look into the practices, policies and laws related to the education for children with disabilities. HRCM will also inquire into the States role in providing for people with disabilities in a non-discriminatory manner, with a special focus on the educational needs of children with disabilities”.

According to the most recent study on the disabled conducted by the HRCM in 2010, there are 2250 children with disabilities in the Maldives that are registered with the government, while only 230 of these children attend school. Overall, 14,100 persons, about 4.7 percent of the population, were found to have permanent disabilities.

In July 2012, the Ministry of Gender, Family and Human Rights and the national Disability Council conferred the Disability Award 2012 to “individuals and organizations working for the rights of the disabled”.

Care Society received an award, which was presented by President Waheed.

Waheed “noted that the responsibility of ensuring the rights of the disabled first falls on the government, and assured that the government was always carrying out that responsibility as best as possible.”

Recent studies by the HRCM – primarily a women’s rights study and children’s participation study – found that lack of access to services were the primary issues discussed by the disabled.

Inadequate special needs schools for children and facilities within existing schools for them, as well as education and mental health service opportunities are of particular concern.

The Finance Ministry, President’s Office, and Housing Ministry were not responding to calls at the time of press.

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LUX* Maldives targets residents, expatriates with underwater festival programme

Maldives nationals and expatriates with valid work permits are being invited to an underwater festival being held next month at LUX* Maldives resort in South Ari Atoll as part of special offer to open up the proceedings to a wider number of guests.

Taking place between April 15 and April 21, 2013, the resort operator hopes to offer an “intense” variety of activities for guests at the festival, including opportunities to partake in free diving and learn underwater film making with experts from the BBC and National Geographic.

LUX* Maldives has announced that during the entirety of the festival – or at least as long as availability lasts – locals and working expatriates will be able to stay at one of the resort’s villas for a special rate of US$200 (MVR3,080) per night on a bed and breakfast basis.

Transfers from the capital of Male’ to the resort will be US$35 (MVR539), while a compulsory supplement of US$650 (MVR10,010) will be charged to all guests for participation in the festival.  These supplement covers a nine dive programme, as well as participation in the exclusive underwater photography and filming course.

The charge also includes a full day excursion to learn more about the whale shark – often identified as a must sea for underwater explorers in the country – a night dive, introductory courses on free-diving and apnea breathing techniques, as well as guided dives for the more advanced, the resort has said.

Filming beneath the waves and “getting the perfect shot” are to be the key focuses of the latest LUX* Maldives’ Underwater Festival – now in its second year.

Further news and reviews encompassing all aspects of the Maldives tourism industry can be found on Minivan News’ spin-off travel review site, Dhonisaurus.

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Four year-old seriously injured after two storey fall

A four-year-old child is being treated for serious injuries after falling from the second storey of a building in Male’, local media has reported.

The incident, which took place on February 28, is being investigated by police to determine the reason behind the fall.

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Child killed by falling television set

A 23 month-old girl on the island of Fehendhoo in Baa Atoll has died after a television fell on top of her, local media has reported.

The Sun Online news agency said the incident was believed to have occurred at 9:25am yesterday (March 1), with the child later dying from her injuries after being taken to Goidhoo Health Centre for treatment.

Speaking to local media, Fehendhoo Council President Ibrahim Shaheen stated that the mother of the girl had said that a 32-inch television set had fallen on the child as she was playing with her three year-old sister. The girl’s mother was said to have been alerted to the incident after hearing a loud noise while she was in the kitchen, Shaheen added.

Police are currently investigating the incident.

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Education Ministry withholding preliminary O’level result figures for 2012

Preliminary results for the 2012’s Cambridge O’Level examination have not been released due to “difficulties” in analysis, the Ministry of Education has said, despite claiming “one of the highest pass rates to date”.

O’Level exam results from 2012 show “the most progress to date”, Minister of Education Dr Asim Ahmed told local media during his speech at the University Education Fair opening ceremony on February 19.

“These are preliminary results right now. It could take a little while to get the final results, we are in the process of verifying, which could change the findings,” Asim told Minivan News.

“However, this should encourage a good increase in A’level enrollments, because more students will be eligible,” he added.

The claims were upheld by Ibrahim Shakeeb from the Education Ministry’s Department of Examinations (DPE), who told Minivan News that the results from 2012 had not yet been finalised.

“This year has one of the highest pass rates. We already know it’s one of the best results this year. Students will be celebrating.

“The preliminary results are out, however the recheck process is still ongoing and will not be completed until late March. However, there won’t be a major change in the findings. The final results will probably show a slight improvement, following the recheck process,” Shakeeb stated, but was unable to provide the preliminary figures.

Shakeeb explained that the DPE acts as a mediator by providing exams to students and sends them back-and-forth to Cambridge International Examinations. Thus, DPE receives the ‘raw’ data, while the Education Ministry’s Planning and Research section conducts the analysis and disaggregates the information.

“The Planning and Research Section may be having difficulties because Ahmed Shafeeu previously handled the analysis, however he became the Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture under President Waheed’s government,” said Shakeeb.

Former Education Minister Shifa Mohamed said it was a change in Ministry of Education practice for preliminary O’Level results not to be publicly disclosed.

Preliminary Cambridge exam results arrive in January or February, with little difference between these and the final results, she explained. Additionally, information from the provinces and islands should also be available.

“By now they should have the real results. Analysis of these findings should only require three days,” Shifa stated.

“I’m waiting to receive the statistics as per my request. I can’t understand why they are holding the [result] information or why it’s taking such a long time to analyse.

“I do not think they have done the analysis. It seems the government is dragging on it because they’re scared to show the results, because they’re not sure if they’ve achieved the marked improvement they’re aiming for,” Shifa added.

Shifa said exam results should show some improvement this year given the previously implemented programs and reforms, but said this would have depended on whether these programs were continued by President Waheed’s new government in 2012.

“Under former President Mohamed Nasheed’s government, we made it very transparent. We believe people ought to know how the budget is being spent and what kind of results the government is producing.

“I don’t think the public really knows the results these kids are producing. I think that [a current government] should actually make the people quite aware of major issues within the country,” Shifa stated.

Minivan News contacted Cambridge International Examinations, however they refused to provide statistics as well.

“This is the Education Ministry’s education policy. It is not for us to comment on the Ministry’s policy on their behalf,” a spokesperson said.

A source in the Ministry of Education told Minivan News that internally, the pass rate figure being passed around was 46 percent in 2012.

“I find very difficult to believe because that is a huge increase from 37 percent in 2011. It is very unlikely,” the source said.

“The pass rate was 35 percent in 2010 and 27 percent in 2009. Even with the numerous educational reforms implemented after [former President Mamuoon] Gayoom’s 30-year authoritarian rule ended, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government was unable to reach the nine percent increase per year needed to achieve their goal of 60 percent of students passing within five years,” the source said.

Meanwhile, students are reported to have received their O’Level exam results at the end of January.

Minivan News contacted numerous people within the Ministry of Education, who either would not release the O’Level pass rate statistics, or would otherwise not respond.

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