Minister of Education Dr Ismail Shafeeu expressed alarm this week over a steady decline in students qualifying as high achievers, despite the government's substantial investment in public education. Speaking at the opening phase of the 'High Achievers' Award' ceremony, Minister Shafeeu spotlighted persistent gaps in student achievement. He noted that a significant portion of pupils continue to fall short of minimum academic benchmarks.
He supported this concern by citing examination results from 2013 and 2014, which showed that nearly half of all students failed to pass five subjects. That trend, he said, has continued through the past two academic years, even as the education ministry maintains a baseline requirement of a C pass in at least five subjects.
Minister Shafeeu noted that the state allocates approximately USD 259.4 million to the education sector; however, despite the concerted efforts of both teachers and parents, the system has yet to achieve its intended goals.
Extending his remarks, the minister noted a pronounced decline in academic performance between secondary and higher secondary levels, particularly during the transition from the General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE O Level) to the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE A Level) examinations.
"For instance, among the 2021–2022 A Level graduating cohort, over 840 students had previously belonged to the corresponding O Level batch, with 64 percent of them attaining a 'Top Ten' ranking in their O Level examinations," he noted. "Strikingly, however, only 36 percent of those O Level Top Ten achievers went on to secure a place in the A Level Top Ten."
The High Achievers' Award ceremony, held at the Maldives Center for Social Education, is unfolding in five phases to recognise excellence in the 2023 and 2024 secondary and higher secondary examinations. In the first phase, 440 students were honoured: 221 ranked within the top nine, while 219 placed in the top eight of the secondary examinations. The event was attended by former President and Special Envoy of the President, Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan, who served as guest of honour.
More than 1,800 students are expected to be recognised over the course of the academic year. The remaining phases will include the conferral of the President's Award for top scorers in O Level and A Level examinations, the President's Scholarship for first-place A Level graduates, and the High Achievers' Scholarship for students earning an A pass or higher.
To address the persistent challenges underscored in his speech, Minister Shafeeu outlined several ongoing reforms within the education ministry and the education sector. These include professional development for teachers, leadership training for school principals, and curricular adjustments aimed at improving instructional quality and institutional oversight.