“Maldives’ education sector can be marketed as tourism sector is”

Baarah MP Ahmed Abdulla, on Monday, has stated that Maldives’ education sector can be marketed towards international students similar to how the tourism sector is marketed.

Debating on the bill proposing amendments to Maldives Higher Education Act, MP Ahmed said that amendments to the Act can pave way to expand the education sector by targeting international students.

“In the same manner tourism is marketed, the opportunity for international students who wish undertake their studies in the Maldives can be provided to them,” he had said.

Underscoring that some countries market medical tourism and agricultural tourism – MP Ahmed said that Maldives’ education sector can be marketed similarly, after bringing some reforms to policies.

Speaking further, MP Ahmed said that the current administration has successfully initiated efforts to ensure that youths are educated, capable and skilled.

“The opportunity to study their first degree for free has been ensured for 15,000 students across the Maldives at present,” he added.

On another note, MP Ahmed said that there were matters that needed to be taken into consideration when amendments are proposed to laws. In this regard, he said that despite the law prohibiting the act, there are still people providing assignment completion services for students at a price.

The law states that it is an offense for another party to do a student’s assignment, for a price or free of charge. Persons found guilty of the offense can be fined by MVR 5,000.

Carrying out assignment completion services as business is also stated as an offense. Persons found guilty of the offense can be fined by MVR 10,000.

Underscoring such tricks lead to students lacking the proper skills and knowledge at the completion of their courses – MP Ahmed stressed the importance of educational institutes ensuring graduates possess the proper skills and knowledge.

Bill proposing amendments to Higher Education Act which grants ease to the criteria to order to register as a university in Maldives was submitted to the parliament by Thulusdhoo MP Ibrahim Naseem. It states that an institution can be declared as a university only after operating as a college for Maldives for 15 years.

The current act says that the institution needs to operate for at least 20 years.