President: Govt. aims to provide students with more opportunities

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih states the government aimed to provide students with as many educational opportunities as possible in order to maximize their potential.

He made the remark during the ceremony on Tuesday evening to award the President’s Award and High Achievers Scholarship.

In his speech, President Solih acknowledged the accomplishments of previous recipients of the President’s scholarships and noted that many of them had chosen a career in medicine. He expressed support for their wisdom in choosing a path that would benefit the nation in the long run.

President Solih highlighted on education and skill development prospects, and said that training programs had increased during his administration. He said that efforts to establish TVET centers and junior colleges were currently underway on two islands, and that similar facilities would be established on additional islands soon.

Highlighting the initiative to provide affordable education, President Solih said that 14,711 students had enrolled in the government's free degree program so far, and that 4,696 students had graduated from the program.

He underscored the importance of ensuring equitable access to education, and spoke of the technological advancements and innovative solutions initiated by the government such as satellite schooling to cater to students in all islands, regardless of size or population. He also noted the initiation of secondary education on seven islands, as well as the introduction of higher secondary education on three more islands.

Speaking to the students in attendance, President Solih said that they were about to enter a dynamic world with different cultures and societal norms. He advised the students to be wary of negative and undue influences that could sway them away from their true objectives. He urged students to remain true to their own identities, heritage, culture and most importantly, their Islamic faith, that would guide them to the righteous path.

President Solih awarded scholarship letters to six students who achieved the highest results in the GCE A-level examinations. Five of the students were from the Center for Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) and one was from Kulhudhuffushi Jalaluddin School. All six of the top achievers were female students.

He congratulated the recipients of the awards and wished them success in their future.