Hirimaradhoo parents refuse to send children to school

As schools across Maldives reopened for the academic new year this Tuesday, parents at HDh. Hirimaradhoo decided against sending their children to school. 

Hirimaradhoo councilor Mohamed Aruzan told Sun on Tuesday morning that the local school has been plagued with a number of issues for which parents are demanding remedies.

Aruzan said that expatriate teachers at the school have failed to improve the performance of students for eight consecutive years.

“No results have been generated from any subject. Results are at 0 percent. No students have passed English subject in eight years,” he said.

Aruzan said that many of the expatriate teachers at the school are not involved in extracurricular activities, and many are in quarantine.

Hirimaradhoo Council president Mohamed Waheed said the local school has an Indian principal, and the parents want a proficient Maldivian principal to lead the school.

“There’s an SMT [Senior Management Team] at the school. But the principal provides no cooperation to the SMT,” he said.

Councilor Aruzan said the school principal has yet to meet parents or the Parent-Teacher Association, and that the school hasn’t even released a timetable.

Hirimaradhoo Council also noted the students have yet to receive all their new school books, and are using older copies.

Aruzan said parents are calling on authorities to resolve the issue as soon as possible and replace the current expatriate teachers at the school.

He said that the parents have decided against sending their children to school until their demands are met.