Cabinet has approved the creation of a vocational higher-education institution with the stated aims of producing skilled workers, training young people and reducing the country’s reliance on expatriate workers.
With invention of the new institute, to be called ‘Maldives Polytechnic’, programs currently run by the Maldives Institute of Vocational Education Training (MIVET) and and the Faculty of Engineering Technology will be folded into the one institution.
Press secretary for the president’s office Mohamed Zuhair said the majority of workers in the Maldives with skills in specific fields, notably trades, are foreigners. He said the government intended to reduce the number of foreign workers by training skilled people locally.
”It will even make it easy for the government to provide services for people,” he said.
The new polytechnic would provide high-level jobs for trainers and educators, he added.
President of MIVET advisory council Shafeea Zubair said that the main aim of the Maldives Polytechnic was to involve young people in the country’s economy, helping unemployed youths to train and get jobs.
“The majority of young people are unemployed,” she said, “because they get their basic needs provided by their family. This is the culture of the country, and it needs to be stopped.”
She said when the polytechnic starts operating all the program conducted by Faculty of Engineering and MIVET would come under the institute to allow the Maldives College of Higher Education to evolve into a university.
The educational development would help diversify the economy beyond fishing and tourism, she said.
“The Maldivian economy is based on fishing and tourism, only a few prefer working in these fields,” she said.
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I dont think that there would be any effective outcome from this plan. Government needs to consider and research the core issues withing the society. I certainly agree that Youth unemployment is one of the predominant issue in Maldives. However, I can emphatically say that majority of Youths are not willing to work in entry level jobs and this is one of the big problem being them unemployed. There are no qualified institution in Maldives who offers recognized degrees in which youth can be progressed to such position.
Lets consider the case of UK, polytechnic institutions were dominant until 1992 in UK. And after passing the Act of Further and Higher Education Act in 1992 by the UK parliament these Polytechnics were converted to Universities. This has changed the perception of these programs as the degrees of the technical disciplines are conferred by a University and as a result more youths are attracted to get on to these fields.
The world is evolving rapidly and we need to take smart measures, instead of adhering to traditional pattern. I am not naive to beleive that a Polytechnic in Maldives would decimate the Youth unemployment.
The idea of Maldives Polytechnic is great.
But putting together MIVET and FET as one institution and calling it Maldives Polytechnic is not going to achieve anything without the required dedication, money, resources, trained staff, efficient organization, administration, etc.
What has the Maldives Volunteer Corps done so far?
I don't think the majority of young people are unemployed only because their basic needs are provided by their family.
The reasons are multiple and not as simple as that.
And I don't think "only a few Maldivians) prefer" working in the tourism industry.
I think most Maldivians are put off by the discrimination they face between Maldivians and non Maldivians who work in the industry.
Whatever policy that the previous governments had in relation to the Maldivian tourism industry is designed in a way that few Maldivians participate in it.
So I believe, what we now experience is a consequence of that.
Finally the correct direction on education. very proud of this move. Lets hope the execution of this plan goes well.
I think this is a great move. Attractiveness of a university will be greater for the youth. But to maintain a respectful university the entrance requirements will shed way too many youths in the current Maldivian state (unlike UK). A polytechnic will give a second chance to those who gets left behind by the higher standards of university entrance levels.
I cannot agree more with Shaya comment.
We need to check the resorts for their foreign expatriate quota given by the government to operate resorts. I bet, not a single resort respect this.
Resorts are hiring cheap foreign labour more than given quota, instead of locals.
Those resorts do not follow the regulation should be fine. This would create more local employments. If there is a regulation, it must be enforced.
“The majority of young people are unemployed,because they get their basic needs provided by their family. This is the culture of the country, and it needs to be stopped." there you go. someone in a position of authority finally came out and said it.
I believe that this is the main reason for lazy youth. parents do not urge or make their children work. and as a youth, its so much easier ride around on a motorbike, hang around with friends, and take the lady out on dates, all at the expense of the parents.
this culture needs to stop, and it needs to stop now. the parents of this country are to blame for not incentivizing their children to become productive as much as the government for not providing adequate educational/vocational opportunities. I hold the government and the parents responsible for the depressing apathy among our youth.
This has been a very wanted thing ever since the Vocational Training Center went silent after a few batches of students. VTC did produce some fine people from whom the Maldives benefited and are still benefiting!
If this is done professionally and usefully without prejudice, it certainly will be a good thing happening!
i welcome the first polytechnic in the maldives/.
One step in the right direction. Anni administration must make a priority list. This decision took them one year. Anni to change,we need education. More scholarships and further loans and aids from western countries to send our kids to study. The world bank loan to train teachers is why we have a college now. Anni and Dr. Waheed must seek western education and funds to send more students overseas to study study study.
The concept of Polytechnic would not be a good direction to a small state like Maldives. This would have been much more effective if the higher educational opportunities are managed under the umbrella of a university. This would certainly reduce the costs and wastages. The resources can be more effectively utilized for a state like Maldives who has finite funds.