Following the Education Ministry's announcement seeking principals for Male' Vocational High School and the Sh. Atoll Education Centre, the opportunity to apply has been opened until 4 October 2026. The Teachers' Association of Maldives, on 28 September 2026, expressed concerns over the Education Ministry's silence and lack of initiative regarding celebrating the upcoming World Teachers' Day at a national level.
With the commencement of Higher Secondary (A-Level) examinations in the Maldives, various parties have been extending best wishes to the students. To grant university status to private colleges that have been operating continuously for the past 15 years, the Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development has gazetted the "Regulations on Registration and Operation of Universities in the Maldives," including conditions such as having 1,000 students at MNQF Level 7 or above and having 10% of staff holding PhDs. To train Maldivian pilots, the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority granted Approved Training Organisation (ATO 017) approval to the Aviation Career Center (ACC) in Maribor, Slovenia, on September 20. Furthermore, regarding the issue where 1,181,763 Rufiyaa was paid to a private company to develop a "Virtual Office Application" for the Ministry of Higher Education but no work was completed and the application remained unusable, the Auditor General's report directed that action be taken against negligent parties and that the funds be recovered.
According to a performance audit report released by the Auditor General's Office, the majority of students under the government's free degree scheme are studying in the fields of business management, education, and IT, with 16,388 students having participated in the scheme from 2019 to 2024. In the "Nation Chat" program held on 26 September 2026, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu urged students sitting for O-Level exams and preparing for A-Levels to utilize their time well, prioritize their studies, perform the five obligatory prayers, and obey their parents. Furthermore, speech competition training sessions targeting students from Addu and Fuvahmulah have also been initiated and carried out.
In an interview given to PSM News on 25 September 2026, Minister of Education Dr. Ismail Shafeeu announced that Cambridge has arranged for schools to directly view students' examination papers and received marks alongside the O-Level examination results. The Minister noted that this change would provide teachers the opportunity to thoroughly analyze the papers written by students, further ease the process of submitting for rechecking in cases where results are questioned, and reduce unnecessary rechecking submissions.
At the closing ceremony of the 38th National Quran Recitation Competition held on September 24, 2026, grand prizes including the President's Special Award and PhD scholarships were awarded after Aishath Zeek Riyaz won first place in the memorization category, Ismail Iz'an Ibrahim won first place in the non-memorized recitation category, and Aayan Ahmed Inan won first place in the reading category. Additionally, the Auditor General's report revealed that while MVR 835.7 million was spent on 16,388 students under the government's free first degree scheme, records of those who completed their studies were not maintained, MVR 19.09 million issued to 790 students who dropped out has not been recovered, and MVR 9.37 million was disbursed to 271 ineligible students.
On 23 September 2026, the R. Vaadhoo Council announced a decision to implement around eight strict measures to improve the conduct of school children, including prohibiting them from being outdoors without a guardian after 9:00 PM and barring them from public parks and sports grounds after sunset. The Employment Tribunal has ordered the Civil Service Commission to pay MVR 82,529 to an Indian teacher who worked at Dh. Atoll School as compensation for the remainder of their contract, ruling that the dismissal was unlawful.
Ayyash Ali Shathir achieved the title of best all-round student of Sh. Atoll School for the past academic year, along with national and international level achievements. The Dhivehi Language Academy has opened participation until October 8 for the Maldives' first national handwriting competition held for the Ali Fahmy Memorial Trophy. Additionally, regarding the public speaking competition held among schools in Addu and Fuvahmulah, a teacher expressed sentiments highlighting the students' talents and the enthusiasm of the competition.
Villa College has been designated as an official centre providing fully funded undergraduate fellowships under the King's Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP), and the opportunity to apply for five degree programmes at the college was opened on 21 September 2026 in collaboration with the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU). Villa College's Vice Rector, Associate Professor Dr. Ali Najeeb, stated that the deadline to apply for these opportunities, under which studies are scheduled to commence in 2027, is 14 October 2026.
This year's O Level examinations began on September 20, 2026, with the SSC Dhivehi paper across 267 centers with 8,111 candidates. Under the Islamic University of Maldives (IUM) scholarship scheme for this year's second semester, scholarships offering free tuition fees were awarded to 13 students on September 16. In addition, to provide career guidance to school students, the Maldives National University (MNU) inaugurated the "MNU Future Ready Series" on September 20, 2026.
At the graduation ceremony of the 3rd batch of the National Service Initial Training held on Saturday, 19 September 2026, at the MNDF Composite Training Centre in Lh. Maafilaafushi, a total of 341 participants completed the training and graduated, including 279 men and 62 women. In connection with the secondary examinations scheduled to begin on 20 September, former Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid sent best wishes on 19 September 2026, wishing success to all students participating in the examinations, as well as to parents and teachers.
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.
New Deans have been appointed to various faculties of the Islamic University of the Maldives. Maryam Neem Nasrullah and Aishath Leem Nasrullah achieved the position of top students of the GDh. Atoll Education Centre for the 2023-2024 academic year. Additionally, relevant authorities highlighted the importance of entering national service after pursuing education in the business stream, as well as youth participation from the business sector in nation-building.
As 49 percent of O-Level students in the Maldives choose the business stream, education expert Dr. Hassan Hameed has expressed concern that overcrowding in this field could lead to graduates facing unemployment and result in a shortage of skilled Maldivians in other essential sectors. First Lady and Chief Guide Sajidha Mohamed graced the closing ceremony of the 25th National Patrol Leaders' Training Camp, conducted by the Maldives Girl Guides Association in Vilimalé, on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
Although an A-Level and HSC Dhivehi online revision class organized via Zoom by Dhaanathu Learning Centre and conducted by experienced teacher Ilyas Shujau for around 300 students on September 15, 2026, was disrupted by individuals scribbling on the screen and sending vulgar messages in the chat, wasting more than 30 minutes, neither the police nor the Ministry of Education has launched an official investigation into the matter.
Teachers' responsibilities have increased in connection with changes brought to classroom arrangements. To enhance technical expertise in the maintenance and upkeep of the Sinamalé Bridge, a five-member technical team, including the Director General of the Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure, Ismail Shafeeu, has departed to participate in a 10-day training program conducted jointly by the Chinese government and CCCC Second Harbor Engineering Company. This training program is scheduled to be held in China from September 15 to 26, 2026.
Today, it was noted that Hithadhoo School is one of the oldest schools in the Maldives' education sector. Organized by the National Institute of Education, the 8th International Teachers' Conference, held from September 12 to 13 at Shaheed Ali School in Hulhumalé with more than 300 participants, concluded today. In addition, "Dhanathu Learning" has announced a free online study camp to assist students in preparing for the Dhivehi and Islam subjects of the SSC and HSC examinations.
While the 8th International Teachers' Conference, graced by Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef, officially commenced on September 12, 2026, it was decided that major changes would be brought to Grade 1 textbooks starting from the upcoming 2027 academic year with the assistance of Cambridge University Press. Additionally, Minister of Education Dr. Ismail Shafeeu announced that work is underway to establish a Vocational High School in Malé, aiming to increase the transition rate of students from secondary to higher secondary education from the current 50 percent to 60 percent.
Graced by Vice President Uz. Hussain Mohamed Latheef at a ceremony held at the Islamic Centre, the 38th National Quran Recitation Competition officially commenced on the night of September 10, 2026; out of 2,742 participants who competed in the audition, 379 students were selected for the semi-finals and 138 participants for the finals. In addition, to promote educational and literary skills, an oratory competition held in memory of Addu Bodu Fandiyaaru Thakurufaanu has also begun.
On 10 September 2026, the Centre for Foundation Studies of the Maldives National University (MNU) conducted a one-day professional development program aimed at improving teaching skills and communication standards for around 80 female Islam and Quran teachers from thirty institutions.
On September 8, 2026, an issue surfaced where the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure ordered the removal of the names of former President Ibrahim Nasir, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and Sultan Mohamed Fareed Didi from a speech prepared by a Maldives Polytechnic student for the National Engineers' Award ceremony. Following the retirement of Kalaafaanu School Principal Nazleen Wafir on August 31, 2026, after 35 years of service in the education sector, the Ministry of Education has announced a search for a new principal for the school.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the International Teachers' Conference held at Shaheed Ali School, Minister of Education Dr. Ismail Shafeeu stated that society must respect the autonomy and authority of teachers in shaping students, and that teacher participation in school administration should be increased. In addition, applications for 24 slots in the 13th Medical Internship conducted by IGMH and Dharumavantha Hospital have been opened for individuals who have completed MBBS, from September 6 to September 24, 2026.
The 2025 annual prize-giving ceremony of B. Atoll Education Centre was held on Saturday, 5 September 2026, where Ahmed Zainoon Abdul Haleem was chosen and awarded as the best student of the school's secondary grades, and Aifa Ibrahim Rasheed was awarded as the best student of higher secondary. Prizes and certificates were also conferred at this ceremony to other students who achieved notable accomplishments academically and in co-curricular activities.
While preparations are underway to hold the Maldives National University's annual book fair, it is scheduled to be officially inaugurated by the Minister of State for Higher Education, Dr. Abdulla Nazeer. In addition, an EdTech company called 'Syllabi' has introduced the 'Syllabi Exam Prep' digital platform, which has begun being used in over 70 schools in the Maldives to assist students preparing for O-Level and A-Level examinations. Meanwhile, Ambassador Dr. Fazeel Najeeb spoke highlighting the importance of acquiring modern resources and technological knowledge.
Starting January 1, 2026, teacher promotions will be backdated to their original eligibility dates. This decision ensures that teachers whose promotions were delayed will receive all associated benefits and increments effective from the date they first qualified for the advancement.
The top five participants of the UNCTAD Modern Port Management Program, along with MPL internship and technical training opportunities, were announced today. Additionally, information sessions for the National Cadet Camp are underway, while the MQA has issued a warning regarding unauthorized online courses. It was also noted today that the disbursement of student loans for 2025 has decreased.
thoughts The Maldives Qualification Authority (MQA) has issued a warning against unauthorized online programs. Simultaneously, a decision was made today to further strengthen and integrate ethical standards and human values into the education system. These measures aim to maintain the quality of higher education in the Maldives and ensure students uphold strong moral character.
The government has decided to increase student stipends and launch a dedicated app for submitting complaints. Additionally, training programs on marine hatcheries and reef fishing have commenced. These initiatives aim to strengthen the education sector and provide students with enhanced opportunities and support.
Fifty scholarship opportunities have been opened for Master's degree studies in the fields of national identity and heritage. Additionally, funding has been allocated for school repairs to strengthen local education systems, alongside plans to develop and expand educational resources across the islands.
The government is preparing to complete construction on 30 educational buildings in time for the 2026 academic year. Additionally, Villa College and the Atmosphere Foundation have today opened scholarship opportunities for higher education in the field of engineering.
The Maldives Qualification Authority (MQA) now requires PhD candidates to complete a three-year full-time residency. Additionally, reading nooks have been established for students in the Hiyaa area of Hulhumalé Phase 2, and a new vocational high school opened today to provide students with practical training opportunities.
As the academic year ends and students begin their break, the Ministry of Higher Education has received reports regarding student grievances. Additionally, the Maldives Qualification Authority (MQA) has mandated that PhDs will only be recognized upon completion of three years of full-time study, while IUM and Villa College have introduced new scholarship opportunities.
