MPs Go Back to School—But Can They Keep Up?

In a curious twist of Maldivian politics, the Speaker of Parliament, Abdul Raheem Abdulla, and 16 MPs will soon be sitting in classrooms as students, pursuing a three-year degree in Sharia and Law. Another eight MPs, deemed unqualified for a degree, will instead take a one-year certificate course before they can join the main program. Their proficiency in Arabic, English, or legalese? Unclear. Their enthusiasm? Boundless—at least for now.

The Maldives Islamic University (IUM) and the Parliament Office have signed an agreement to roll out this ambitious education initiative.

The goal? To make the 20th Parliament “highly educated and capable,” according to Speaker Abdul Raheem. But the logistics raise eyebrows. The program will be delivered online, raising questions about how a rigorous legal curriculum will hold up against the MPs’ full-time legislative duties.

If they make it through, the MPs might one day be addressed with the honorific “Ustaz”—a title commonly used for lawyers in the Maldives. The term, borrowed from Arabic (ustādh – أستاذ), originally comes from Persian (ostâd – استاد), meaning “master” or “teacher.” While Arabic later added a feminine form, Ustazah, used for female lawyers in the Maldives, Persian never made such distinctions. Whether these soon-to-be law students will earn the title through merit or merely by degree remains an open question.

Speaker Abdul Raheem, in a brief speech, painted a grand vision of a “well-educated Majlis” and even took a moment to thank the president Dr. Muizzu for making it happen.

Whether the degree itself will hold real weight—or simply serve as a certificate trophy—remains to be seen.

One thing’s certain: Parliament sessions might soon feature more Arabic and Latin legal maxims. Or at least a few confused students scrambling for notes.