News Desk
MALE’, Maldives — Higher Education Minister, Dr. Ali Hider, has called for a restructuring of teaching schedules to strengthen the nation’s education system. Speaking at a forum organized by the Ministry of Higher Education, Labor and Skills Development focused on challenges facing higher education, Dr. Hider stressed the importance of conducting classes during the day for undergraduate and lower-level degree programs.
The minister highlighted a critical issue in the current system: despite the National Qualifications Framework requiring part-time programs to take twice as long as full-time ones, there is often no practical difference between the two. “This undermines the quality of education and threatens the integrity of the entire system,” Dr. Hider said.
He proposed a three-year timeline to transition undergraduate and lower-degree classes to daytime schedules, urging young people to pursue full-time study during the day.
Maldives Qualifications Authority (MQA), MQA’s chief executive, Maryam Fizana, echoed concerns about declining educational standards. The gathering, attended by over 80 representatives from 11 colleges, two universities, and 12 public and government institutions, addressed systemic shortcomings in the higher education sector.
Fizana pointed to a growing trend of students enrolling in part-time programs while managing workloads equivalent to full-time courses, often alongside multiple jobs. “There are rumors in society that the quality of graduates is low, with some even hiring others to complete their degrees,” she said, warning that such practices erode the credibility of academic qualifications.
The Maldives currently has two universities, 12 colleges, one polytechnic, 90 private institutes, and 27 public institutes, all facing pressure to address these challenges. As the Maldives seeks to reform its higher education system, the focus remains on ensuring academic rigor and restoring public confidence in the nation’s graduates.
Image Credit: Majlis
