Tag: education ministry

Student loans provided to 258 applicants

Education Minister Dr Aishath Shiham presented award letters to 258 recipients under a tertiary student loan scheme yesterday (August 17).

According to the Ministry of Education, 313 prospective students applied for the loans in March to seek higher education in the Maldives and overseas.

The scheme would provide loans to 750 students, the ministry said, and would be financed out of the state budget through a revolving fund created in 2012.

In January, the Anti-Corruption Commission had asked the ministry to reevaluate the vetting procedure for awarding points to applicants.

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Studies to resume for students of grades nine and under

Studies will resume for students of grades nine and below when schools reopen tomorrow, reports local media.

In a controversial move in late June, the government decided to shut down schools during the holy fasting month of Ramadan for grades nine and under.

According to the education ministry, schools were instructed last week to resume studies on Monday under normal school hours.

The ministry had also made changes to the annual academic calendar, bringing forward the mid-term break for the second term from August 24-28 to July 20-24.

Additionally, schools have reportedly been instructed to conduct studies on an additional five days of its choosing between August 10 and 28.

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Teachers Association condemn “overhauling of the academic calendar” for Ramadan

Following the government’s decision to close schools for grades 9 and under during Ramadan, the Teachers Association of Maldives had said the move will damage students academically.

“We cannot at all accept the way schools were shut down all of a sudden,” said President of the Teacher’s Association Athif Abdul Hakeem.

While teachers do not have a problem with the concept of closing schools for Ramadan, he said, the manner in which the decision was made had given rise to numerous problems.

“It would have been alright if it had been planned ahead and included in the academic calendar,” he said. “The excuse that the Education Ministry gave for closing schools is also unacceptable. If students in Grades 10 and above can understand lessons in three hours, so can those in grade 8. It’s illogical to claim otherwise.”

Hakeem also refuted the ministry’s claims that attendance was lower during Ramadan, adding that students will face disadvantages as a result of the sudden closure.

Earlier in June, the Education Ministry announced the decision, saying that the reduced three-hour days during the month of fasting were insufficient time in which to take lessons.

It further claimed that the decision had been made after holding discussions with those in the education sector and parents – a claim Hakeem has denied.

Parents and teachers

“It is a horrible decision,” said Mariyam Maanaa – mother of a Grade 8 student. “It is making children lethargic. How will they cope when they start working and have to go to office during Ramadan if they get used to this being a vacation?”

Civil service working hours – also the subject of some controversy prior to the start of the holy month – are between 10am and 2pm throughout Ramadan.

“This is the first time school has been closed during Ramadan and I see no reason why it had to be done,” she continued

Parent Rahima Ali, meanwhile, feels that it was a reasonable decision to not hold sessions for youngest of students.

“Perfectly understandable that school is closed for pre-schoolers. It might have been okay to close them even for Grades 1 to 5. But over that, they are not so young anymore. They must be able to concentrate on lessons even if fasting.

“Fasting is not meant to be a break from life when all you have to do is sleep through the day. The ministry’s decision is ruining our children’s discipline.”

Teacher Aishath Inas stated that while they had been asked to provide handouts to students for the holidays, teachers did not have sufficient time to effectively do so.

“It will also be extremely hard to try to cover a full month’s syllabus later. Many teachers are unhappy with the fact that we have to work through Ramadan even when students are not here, and while we will also need to come out to work on every Saturday for the rest of the year,” she said.

Extra classes

Despite the government’s decision, some schools – especially those in the islands – have begun to take sessions under the name of holding extra classes.

The Teacher’s Association was informed today that the ministry had notified those schools to stop holding such classes.

“The fact that schools are taking the initiative and holding classes shows just how concerned teachers are that we may not be able to complete the syllabus on time,” he said.

On July 3, the Ministry announced that the mid-term break would now be rescheduled to fit in into the last days of Ramadan.

Hakeem stated that this would once again pose problems as it may interfere with travel and other plans that parents may have already made in accordance with the annual academic calendar.

“The gist of the matter is we cannot accept the overhauling of the academic calendar in the middle of the year. There is no formula that will allow us to complete the syllabus on time now. As for working on Saturdays, it will be a burden on the state budget to have teachers work then as according to the law, teachers will need to be paid double the rate if they are working on an official holiday,” he continued.

Minivan News was unable to contact Ministry of Education Media Officer Maina Latheef at the time of press.

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Some schools ignore government’s Ramadan instructions

Some schools in have continued holding classes for grade 9 and under, despite instructions from the Education Minsitry to stop lessons during Ramadan, reports Haveeru.

Local teachers told Haveeru that extra classes have been arranged after consultations between parents and teachers amid fears that the extended break would prevent the completion of the syllabus.

Instances of classes continuing were reported in Gaafu Dhaalu and Lhaviyani atolls.

With less than seven days’ notice, the government last week announced that school sessions would not be held for students in grades 9 and under during the month of Ramadan.

The regulations also said that school sessions for grades 10 to 12 should begin after 9am and should last a duration of three hours per day.

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Government closes school for grades 9 and under during Ramadan

The Ministry of Education has on Tuesday announced that school sessions will not be held for students in grades 9 and under during the month of Ramadan.

The regulations that they released further state that school sessions for grades 10 to 12 should begin after 9am and should last a duration of three hours per day.

The ministry also ordered schools to ensure that no activites are held at the times of Maghrib and Ishaa prayers, and that any activities that are held at night should be held in such a way that allows students to attend Tharaaveeh prayers – special prayers held after Ishaa during Ramadan – as well as the weekly sermons organised by the government.

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Education Ministry in discussion with Malaysian university to train 2,000 teachers

The Ministry of Education has revealed plans to train 2,000 local teachers in collaboration with Malaysia’s Open University.

Education Minister Aishath Shiham said at a  press conference today that the ministry was in talks with the Open University to conduct training programmes for head teachers and principals, adding that she expected the training to commence in the near future.

The ministry’s aim was to enable teachers with diplomas or first degrees to achieve higher qualifications, she said. This would have a positive impact on students, she added.

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Nestlé Sri Lanka and Education Ministry sign MoU

Nestlé Lanka and the education ministry have signed a MoU to empower young talent development in the Maldives.

According to online newspaper Lanka Business Times, the MoU was signed to host an annual award ceremony dubbed ‘Milo Schools Award Night’ which will recognise and award exceptional students.

Lanka Business Times quoted Dr Aishath Shiham as saying that

“Milo’s presence in the Maldives has had significant impact on the local community over the years, winning the hearts of the people via an intimate and consistent engagement,” State Minister of Education Dr Aishath Shiham was quoted as saying.

“We hope that this partnership with Nestlé will help us highlight young Maldivian talent whilst creating a platform for these skilled individuals to gain well deserved recognition both nationally and beyond.”

Managing Director of Nestlé Lanka Ganesan Ampalavanar said that their involvement and support ensures the promotion of attributes like leadership, discipline, and team spirit amongst youth and also plays a pivotal role in providing a platform for both identifying and developing talent to represent the island on a global scale.

He said he was pleased and honored to strengthen the ongoing relationship with the Maldives by partnering with the education ministry to host and conduct the annual awards from 2014 – 2018.

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Quran teachers still be to found for 12 schools

The Education Ministry has stated that while the administrative year began and schools opened on January 14, Quran teachers still remain unavailable for 12 schools.

Education Ministry Human Resource Director General Mohamed Saeed stated that while the state had sought to employ 69 Quran teachers, 56 persons had applied and all are now employed in different schools.

He stated that the ministry has now announced for 12 more teachers, and that the announcement will expire within the week. He explained that although separate Quran teachers have not yet been found for these 12 schools, Quran is still, however, taught as a subject in these schools too.

“While we are still seeking 12 teachers for these schools, we have made arrangement for Quran lessons to already be taught in these schools too. We are doing this by having either leading teachers or the Islamic Studies teachers provide Quran lessons for the meantime,” he is quoted as saying to local media.

Establishing Quran as an obligatory subject in all grades and teaching them in all schools is among the 100 day plans of the Education Ministry.

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Education Ministry unveils detailed hundred-day plan

Ministry of Education has unveiled its road map for the first hundred days of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration, joining many other ministries and government institutions.

The nineteen-point plan was announced at a ceremony held at Sultan Park yesterday.

The four priority objectives of the plan are: introducing Quran as a subject for grades 1 – 7 in in all schools within the 2014 academic year, introducing civic education, giving an allowance equivalent to salary for professional staff who take leave for further training, and providing opportunities for students in Male’ to train in six different areas from ‘Maldives Polytechnic” – the Ministry’s training institute for technical and vocational education.

Among other objectives, the ministry has planned to set professional standards for teachers and assign health assistants for schools through island health centers and provide counseling at schools.

The ministry also plans to establish Special Education units in five schools, and two dedicated regional Special Education centers. A child protection policy is also set to be passed within the first hundred days.

According to the Ministry, the government will choose two islands to establish Arabic medium schools within 100 days.

Plans to provide higher education and training opportunities include a campaign to familiarize students with training and career opportunities. In addition to this, the government will be signing agreements with five companies to provide apprenticeship programs and will seek local and overseas higher education opportunities for students with minimum three A Level passes.

Regional campuses of Maldives Polytechnic will be established and a scheme for introducing ‘economically beneficial’ foreign languages will also be designed within this period.

Sociology is planned to be taught in a selected number of schools and a special program to make students more aware of Dhivehi language and culture will also be introduced.

As part of this plan the ministry is seeking to assign Quran teachers for all Schools before the academic year 2014. The ministry’s Permanent Secretary Dr. Abdul Muhsin Mohamed said that the ministry is still short of 26 Quran teachers to achieve this this objective.

According to Muhsin the ministry will find teachers for other subjects as well within this period. He said priority will be given to local teachers even though a number of foreign treachers are on stand by to fill in for approximately three hundred vacant posts.

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