Shahid: Removal of MP Meekail’s profile ‘clear evidence’ of extent of politicization of school system

The move by Jamaluddin School to delete posts it shared on its social media on Thursday featuring opposition lawmaker Meekail Ahmed Naseem among its most outstanding alumni has been slammed by Abdulla Shahid, the president of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), as evidence of the “extent to which the government has politicized the education system”.

Jamaluddin, a public school located in Male’ City, has been honoring its outstanding alumni in a series of social media posts as part of the countdown to its 40th anniversary.

Meekail, who received his primary education at Jamaluddin, was contacted by his alma mater in January seeking information to prepare his profile.

The school featured the 31-year-old MDP lawmaker on its Facebook and X accounts on Thursday. However, the posts were deleted within two hours.

Meekail believes the school was pressured by the Education Ministry into deleting the posts.

Shahid shared a statement condemning the move in a post on X on Saturday morning.

“The removal of the profile shared on social media platforms of an alumnus such as MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem, who the Jamaluddin School is proud of in every single way, on orders from the Education Ministry, shows clearly the extent to which the government has politicized the education system,” said Shahid.

މެމްބަރު މީކާއިލް އަހުމަދު ނަސީމްފަދަ, ޖަމާލުއްދީން ސްކޫލު މިއަދު ހުރިހާ ގޮތަކުންވެސް ފަޚުރުވެރިވާ އިސް ދަރިވަރެއްގެ ޕްރޮފައިލް ސޯޝަލް މީޑިއާ ޕްލެޓްފޯމްތަކުގައި ހިއްސާކުރުމަށްފަހު, އެޑިއުކޭޝަން މިނިސްޓްރީގެ އެންގުމަށް އެ ޕްލެޓްފޯމްތަކުން ފްރޮފައިލް ނެގުމުން, މިސަރުކާރުން ތައުލީމީ…

— Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) February 8, 2025

He accused the government of slandering Meekail and creating a negative image of lawmakers in the minds of students.

“By exerting political influence into educational institutions, the government is showing a very ugly example for the younger generation,” he said.

“I condemn this act by the Education Ministry in the harshest terms. And I call on the government not to politicize the education system.”

Meekail told Sun on Thursday evening that he was told the school was pressured by the Education Ministry into deleting the posts.

“The person who contacted me from the school seeking information for the profile told me that the post was deleted on orders from the ministry,” he said.

While I am genuinely grateful to the management and teachers of Jamaluddeen School for choosing to honour me, I am disgusted that they have been pressured into deleting the post by the Ministry. Never seen this level of micro-management and pettiness under any other govt. pic.twitter.com/X23y01SRKF

— Meekail Naseem (@MickailNaseem) February 6, 2025

The alleged forced removal of the posts coincided with a heated day at the Parliament, as Meekail joined other MDP lawmakers in staging a protest as President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu delivered his annual address.

Jamaluddin issued a statement at 11:56 pm on Thursday denying the allegation that the school was pressured by the Education Ministry into deleting the posts.

The school said that it was forced to delete Meekail’s profile based on counsel from the alumni profile committee, because “he displayed behavior that is not befitting of an alumnus we want as a role model for present-day students, and because such behavior falls outside the disciplinary standards acceptable to this school, and because the school received concerns from numerous parents.”

pic.twitter.com/vwQEbLZof6

— Jamaluddin School (@jamaluddin_mv) February 6, 2025

Meekail has questioned the timing of the statement.

“The mere act of ordering the school to issue a statement past midnight on a public holiday makes clear the extent to which the government is exerting political influence on schools,” he wrote on X.

ރަސްމީ ބަންދު ދުވަހެއްގެ ދަންވަރު 12 ޖަހާ ބޮޑުވިފަހުން ސްކޫލަށް އަމުރުކޮށްގެން ބަޔާން ނެރުމުން އަކެނިވެސް، މި ސަރުކާރުގެ ސިޔާސީ ނުފޫޒު ސްކޫލަށް ފޯރުވާ މިންވަރު ސާފު.

ކޮވިޑު ދުވަސްވަރު އިންޑިއާ ބޮޑު ވަޒީރުގެ މާލި ހިންގުވި މުޒާހަރާއެއް ލީޑްކުރުން ހުރި މީހާގެ އަހުލާގު ރީތި ދެއްތޯ؟ pic.twitter.com/kvXu1xiVXz

— Meekail Naseem (@MickailNaseem) February 6, 2025

In the now-deleted posts, Jamaluddin described Meekail as “a proud alumnus” and “a bright and diligent student.”

During his time at Jamaluddin, he served as a Sout, a prefect, and deputy captain of Burakirani House.

Meekail was a recipient of the Cambridge-Commonwealth Scholarship in 2015, and attained a Bachelor’s degree in politics, psychology and sociology from the Magdelene College, University of Cambridge. He went on to complete his postgraduate studies as a Chevening Scholar – earning a Master’s degree in international relations from the University of Bath, UK.

His political career kicked off in 2017 following his election as the youth wing president of the MDP.

In 2019, Meekail was elected to the Parliament as the representative for the South Galolhu constituency in a landslide victory – making him the second youngest member of the 19th parliamentary assembly. During his first term in office, he served as a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and as vice chair of the Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee.

Meekail defended his seat in the 2024 election – one of only a dozen lawmakers from the MDP to get elected to the 20th parliamentary assembly. He currently serves as a member of both the Independent Institutions Committee and the Government Oversight Committee.

In the now-deleted posts, Jamaluddin praised Meekail’s meteoric rise in Maldivian politics, describing it as “irrefutable proof that determination and diligence bring their own rewards.”

“Jamaluddin School is proud to have been the educational foundation for this remarkable member of our alumni and have every confidence that he will continue to carve a space for himself in the pages of Maldivian history,” wrote the school.

The Education Ministry has yet to make an official comment regarding the allegation.