hajam.ai
18 September 2026

Education

While the Ministry of Islamic Affairs has gazetted the policy regarding awarding the President's Special Scholarship to the overall first-place winners of the National Quran Competition, it has been decided under this policy to provide major benefits, including the opportunity to study up to the PhD level, a monetary prize of MVR 100,000 as the President's Special Award, MVR 75,000 granted by the Islamic Ministry, and an Umrah trip to the first-place winners in the recitation by looking, recitation by heart, and Hafiz categories.

The policies and guidelines for awarding scholarships for winning ranks in the National Quran Competition and the President's Scholarship were officially published on 18 September 2026. The main purpose of formulating and publishing these policies is to provide higher education opportunities through a transparent and fair system for individuals who achieve notable success in the field of Holy Quran recitation and memorization, as well as students who achieve high academic ranks. In this regard, the published policy outlines in great detail the eligibility requirements for the recipients and the criteria to be considered in awarding these scholarships. This decision by the government is an important step towards expanding Quranic knowledge and facilitating further study pathways for outstanding students.

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Politics

At a ceremony held on the night of September 18, 2026, to mark the successful conclusion of the PNC Congress, the 2028 presidential ticket was officially conferred upon President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu without a primary, following the unanimous consensus of the party's 1,119 delegates. Speaking on PNF platforms, former President Abdulla Yameen pointed to economic issues and the dollar shortage, heavily criticizing the administration by stating that a silent revolution is brewing within the government and that President Muizzu will not secure a 2028 term. On the other hand, information has surfaced that former Vice President Faisal Naseem has expressed interest in contesting the 2028 MDP presidential primary and is holding discussions with former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Economy

Following the Maldivian government's repayment of the final $50 million of the $150 million treasury bill issued to the Maldives through the State Bank of India (SBI), India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed on September 18, 2026, that the Indian government had paid approximately $45 million incurred as interest over the past five years. As the Bank of Maldives (BML) prioritised essential needs to maintain dollar liquidity and set a $16 million monthly ceiling for e-commerce transactions, businesses have faced significant delays in transferring dollars to other banks and abroad.

Health

Dharumavantha Hospital has revealed that out of 35 successful cases of IVF performed through its National Fertility Centre, 27 babies have been born so far. Amidst an extreme shortage of essential medicines across the Maldives leading to an increase in public complaints, Health Minister Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim stated that by November 2026, arrangements will be made to import and provide all essential medicines through "State Pharma", a company established by separating pharmacies from STO to resolve the issue. Regarding the issue of medication shortages in pharmacies, the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) has instructed pharmacies to stock at least 80 percent of the medicines included in the Revised Essential Medicines List within the upcoming six months.