Day: January 31, 2011

Dhivehi and science subjects spearhead boost in O-level results, says Education Ministry

O-level results for 2010 continued a general trend of improvement, with particular gains in science subjects says Deputy Minister Education Dr Abdulla Nazeer.

Of the approximately 6700 students who sat the international standardised high school exams last year, 35 percent passed five subjects, up on 32 percent in 2009 and 27 percent in 2008.

“Out of 216 schools, 100 performed better last year at O’levels,” Dr Nazeer said. “Also, the number of schools achieving over 60 percent in five subjects rose from 9 to 15.”

In addition 197 students received perfect marks of 100, Dr Nazeer said, and were awarded A* – a new grade introduced this year. 330 students were in line to receive top achievers awards, he said.

“Another significant result was a drop in U-grades [ungraded], which is one of the biggest issues facing schools,” Dr Nazeer said. “It’s been dropping since 2009, from 22 percent in 2008 to 19 percent in 2009 and 16 percent in 2010.”

Most major subjects showed a positive trend in results except for arts, geography and history, Dr Nazeer said, “subjects which are only taken by few students.”

Dr Nazeer noted “a huge increase” in science results, including chemistry, physics and maths, across the country.”

Dhivehi results improved 14 percent this year, “but unfortunately Islam didn’t do as well as expected, with a 1.5 percent decline, continuing a seven year trend.”

He suggested a further emphasis on Islam and Dhivehi at O-level. Regarding the Ministry steering committee’s controversial suggestion that both these subjects be made optional at A-level, Dr Nazeer said “we have got the technical advice to finalise the curriculum framework, but the political decision has not been made yet. We are sending Cabinet a paper towards the end of next month.”

While education was not a government manifesto pledge, Dr Nazeer noted, “I don’t think it will be difficult to achieve the goal of 60 percent pass in five subjects by 2013.”

Further focus in 2011 would be the development of “holistic education”, he said, explaining that this represented the promotion of physical education and extracurricular clubs, as well as leadership activities and ensuring students had the “opportunity to use technology in the classroom.”

The Ministry was also submitting a paper to Cabinet outlining a proposal to encourage students failing five subjects to remain in the schooling system for a further two years, with the opportunity to gain certificates and foundation diplomas.

The Education Ministry has also revealed an Rf 38 million (US$3 million) design for a replacement for Arabiyya school, after the school was closed following the collapse of a wall last year.

Funds for the new seven-storey building, to be built opposite Ameeniyya School, will be included in next years budget, Director at the Education Ministry Mohamed Yousuf told newspaper Haveeru.

The proposed structure includes 28 classrooms, computer lab, library, prayer room and a hall for 400-500 students, Haveeru noted, adding that the building would be completed by the end of the year and students transferred in time for the next academic year.

Bids for the project will be opened on February 17 after a pre-bid meeting on February 7, the Finance Ministry has stated.

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Parties talk policy pledges ahead of council elections

As some of the country’s most high-profile political figures campaign around the country ahead of this Saturday’s local council elections, their respective parties have been outlining the policies they hope will sway the elections in their favour.

President Mohamed Nasheed, his predecessor Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and current (DRP) leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali have been touring the country’s atolls to meet and greet constituents who on Feburary 5 will be decide the shape of decentralised governance.

Heading the country’s main political opposition, Thasmeen said that the DRP is pursuing four key messages with its campaigning: equality, democratic practices, Islamic values and keeping the country’s assets under state control.

“We will not sell off state assets,” he said. “We are particularly concerned about the sale of uninhabited islands and the selling of shares in [telecoms provider] Dhiraagu – this is not the right path.”

One of the key concerns the opposition leader claimed was of central importance during the local council campaign was that of strengthening democratic practices, an area he the current ruling MDP “needed to work on much harder.”

“We believe independent institutions like the Elections Commission (EC) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) should be strengthened,” he said. “Government offices have tried to discredit these institutions, even in the police service where we have seen dismissals for political purposes.”

Ultimately, Thasmeen said that he believed the MDP-led government had been “very partisan” in providing state services and more equality was needed when filling jobs and providing healthcare to politicians.

Alongside the party’s serving members, Thasmeen said he believed that the DRP’s position within the upcoming elections had been strengthened by the return to campaigning of its honorary leader, former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

While not confirming how Gayoom would be campaigning for the party in relation to the strategy outlined by the DRP’s council committee, Thasmeen said he welcomed any assistance. “Mr Gayoom is very well respected and holds an honourable position in the party,” he said.

During his own travels along the campaign trail, President Mohamed Nasheed has also been campaigning to play up the work the MDP has already conducted and will look to continue.

The party’s election manifesto consists of five core pledges: ‘nationwide transport’, ‘affordable living costs’, ‘affordable housing’, ‘affordable quality healthcare’, and the ‘prevention of narcotics abuse and trafficking’.

The party stated at its Congress in late September 2010 that it considered the pledges to be “40 percent” completed.

Whilst visiting the island of Feeali yesterday during a tour of Faafu Atoll and Dhaalu Atoll, the president claimed he remained committed to driving ahead developments despite what he called “unjustifiable criticisms” leveled at his work by opposition parties.

Nasheed stressed that the MDP was campaigning on the basis of continued developments in infrastructure and social protection already focused on within outer lying islands during his administration’s tenure.

The innaguration of sewerage systems in 17 islands – allegedly up from just four before the party came to power as a coalition in 2008 – and the completion of seven water grids in atolls outside of Male’ were used as some examples of MDP’s commitment to national development.

Outside of the country’s two most prominent political parties, President of the religious Adhaalath Party, Sheikh Hussein Rasheed, said its candidates were mainly focused on three main aims during the election.

Sheikh Rasheed said that Adhaalath candidates would focus on “wide ranging development”, aiming to reduce problems associated with drug abuse and “uniting people together”.

“We will co-operate with the government as per the law, of course,” he added.

Rasheed said that candidates for the Adhaalath Party were running for seats in Raa Atoll, Haa Dhaalu Atoll, Addu Atoll, Gnaviyani Atoll and the city of Male’.

”It is very likely that the Adhaalath Party candidate for Raa Atoll and Haa Dhaalu Atoll will win the seat,” he claimed.

The local council elections are scheduled for February 5, this coming Saturday.

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Opposition to protest tonight for freedom of state media

The main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has announced that it will hold a protest tonight against what they allege is the political bias of the state media.

The DRP has said that the protesters will set off the protest tonight from the artificial beach at 8:45pm.

”We have waited very patiently for a long time, but our patience is reaching its end. The state media is constantly promoting and campaigning for the government in different ways,” said DRP MP Ahmed Nihan. ”MNBC have been interviewing different government ministers and have been creating TV programs to promote the government.”

Nihan said he was “certain” there was “a secret deal” made between MNBC and the government.

”MNBC was re-branded and changed its name after two board members of Television Maldives (TVM) proposed their names for the Maldives Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) board but were dismissed from the parliament,” Nihan claimed. ”Whats happening is very clear for us and now we want the government to free state media and to make it independent.”

The opposition majority-parliament and the executive are grappling for control of MNBC, after parliament last year created MBC as a competing entity to MNBC and demanded that the government transfer MNBC’s assets. The government refused and the matter entered the judicial system.

Nihan suggested that President Mohamed Nasheed should “ring opposition MPs and give them encouragement like he did with opposition leader in Egypt, El-Baradei.”

”We will hold a very peaceful protest tonight and for now we have not planed to march anywhere, we will just remain at the artificial beach raising our voice,” he said.

He also said the youth’s wing of the party has invited everyone including leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and former Deputy Leader Umar Naseer to join the protest tonight.

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PA leader joins Gayoom on campaign trail

Leader of the opposition coalition partner People’s Alliance (PA), MP Abdulla Yameen, has joined former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on the campaign trail, reports Haveeru.

Yameen, who is the former President’s half-brother, travelled to his own constituency of Mulaku and a rally in Laamu Atoll to help build support for DRP candidates ahead of the local council election on Saturday, Haveeru reported.

DRP Deputy Leader Ilham Ahmed told Haveeru that Yameen joined the Gayoom’s campaign team on its request, because “as our coalition partner, PA has helped us in passing several matters and bills through the Parliament. We get the assistance of PA very much and we believe that it should be the case in the campaign.”

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Females cannot perform marriage ceremonies under Islam, declares Fiqh Academy

The Islamic Ministry’s Fiqh Academy has declared that women are not allowed to perform marriages or lead a marriage ceremony according to Islam, and therefore cannot be a judge when performing marriages.

The declaration was announced by the President of Fiqh Academy and Islamic Minister Dr Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari, together with eight other scholars of the academy.

The Fiqh Academy explained that the Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) had ruled that woman could not perform a marriage ceremony herself, and nor could she perform the marriage of another woman.

The wife of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH), Ummulmu’mineen Aisha, Ali and Abu Hurairath had also said that women could not perform marriages, the Academy explained, adding that all the companions of the Prophet (PBUH) also agreed that woman could not perform marriages.

Furthermore, the Fiqh Academy said that as marriages were in the hands of judges, it was contrary to Islamic Sharia for a woman to be in such a position.

Despite the fact that some religious scholars disagreed as to whether women could perform marriages,the Academy said it was inclined to side with the majority of scholars who had ruled this was inappropriate.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) recently appointed judges to the High Court, including Dr Azmiraldha Zahir, the first woman to be appointed to such a position. Member of the commission Sheikh Shuaib Abdurahman voted against her appointment on the grounds of her gender, arguing that females were not permitted to deal with many of the issues required of a judge under Islam.

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Adhaalath Party expresses concern over situation in Egypt

Former State Islamic Minister and Adhaalath Party member Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has called on Maldivians to pray for Egyptians following civil unrest in Egypt.

”We are very concerned over the civil unrest in the Egypt, we are with the citizens of Egypt and we take part in their work to gain their rights,” Sheikh Shaheem said in a statement. ”But it is very grieving for us to hear the news that many Egyptians have lost their lives and the peace and harmony of the country is lost.”

Any such loss in Egypt was “a loss to the entire Muslim community” Sheikh Shaheem said.

He called on all Maldivians to put embrace the brotherhood of Muslims and to pray to God that he may protect the peace and harmony of the country and protect the state and citizens.

”Egypt is a very important pillar of the Muslim community, and it is a centre of educational heritage for Muslims and Islamic Culture,” said Sheikh Shaheem. ”It is the land of Jaamiulazhar, a land that defended the Islamic community for decades and a land that many Muslims admire.”

Sheikh Shaheem said that Egyptians had sacrificed themselves using their chests as a shield to defend the Muslim community, adding that the stories of Egyptians were “written in the history in golden letters.”

”They are generous and noble. Many citizens of Egypt and many Egyptians scholars have died in defense of the Islamic community,” he said. ”It is a country that has kept and is keeping a close relationship with the Maldives.”

President Mohamed Nasheed has also pledged support for Egypt, specifically the democratic movement.

Speaking in an address on Hulhudheli in Dhaalu Atoll, Nasheed claimed that “no other country in the Muslim world granted more freedom to people, including freedom of expression, assembly and peaceful political activism than in the Maldives.”

He also added that there was “no other country in the global Muslim community aside from the Maldives that granted full freedom to Islamic scholars to give their good religious advice and provide counsel,” claiming that the Islamic community could not uphold its honour and dignity unless its scholars had full freedom.

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Police arrest gang members in guest house sweep

Police have arrested several suspected gang members during a sweep of 14 guest houses.

Haveeru reported Chief Inspector Hamdoon Rasheed as saying that police had gathered evidence in gang violence cases during the operation over the last 2-3 weeks.

“After gang violence activities, members of the gangs do not stay at the same place. Even though they are registered in Male they are moving to rented rooms,” he told the press.

He also appealed to local landlords and guest house owners to be aware of the problem when renting rooms.

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Egyptian government shuts Al Jazeera bureau

The Egyptian government yesterday revoked the license of Al-Jazeera in the country, shutting its office in Cairo and withdrawing the accreditation of its staff.

“Al Jazeera sees this as an act designed to stifle and repress the freedom of reporting by the network and its journalists,” the Qatar-based network said in a statement.

“In this time of deep turmoil and unrest in Egyptian society it is imperative that voices from all sides be heard; the closing of our bureau by the Egyptian government is aimed at censoring and silencing the voices of the Egyptian people,” Al Jazeera said.

“Al Jazeera journalists have brought unparallelled reporting from the ground from across Egypt in the face of great danger and extraordinary circumstances. Al Jazeera Network is appalled at this latest attack by the Egyptian regime to strike at its freedom to report independently on the unprecedented events in Egypt.

The network said it would “continue its in-depth and comprehensive reporting on the events unfolding in Egypt” despite the government crackdown.

Egypt has also disconnected internet and phones across the country in a bid to contain skyrocketing dissent over the rule of Hosni Mubarak. Yesterday media in the country reported that elements of the army appeared to be supporting the demonstrators.

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