The government awarded Central Line Pvt Ltd contracts to develop a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TIVET) Centre in Fuvahmulah City and a junior college in Funadhoo, Shaviyani Atoll, in a significant boost to decentralising higher education.
The agreements were formalised on Wednesday at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development.
Permanent Secretary Aishath Hikma signed the agreements on behalf of the Ministry, while Central Line Managing Director Abdulla Asim represented the contracting company.
Speaking at the event, Minister for Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development, Ahmed Shafeeu announced an ambitious timeline, stating, the aim is to complete the project by the end of next year and make the facilities operational by 2027.
Highlighting the transformative potential of the projects, Shafeeu emphasised that such centres will provide crucial opportunities for the development of skills of the youth across the Maldives.
“The city of Fuvahmulah will be positioned as an educational city. The campus of MNU [Maldives National University] as well as IUM [Islamic University of Maldives] is being developed in Fuvahmulah, which is an additional step in the delivery of education,” he said, highlighting the broader educational strategy for Fuvahmulah.
The initiatives underscore President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s commitment to expanding equitable access to higher education.
Both the Fuvahmulah TIVET Centre and the Funadhoo Junior College will be comprehensive facilities with plans for a multi-purpose workshop, modern classrooms, an ICT laboratory, dedicated administrative service areas, and staff rooms. Student-centric amenities will feature a student services area, seminar and meeting rooms, study areas, and libraries.
These projects are specifically designed to reduce geographical barriers to higher education. By establishing quality technical training and higher education facilities outside the capital Male’, students from islands across the atolls will be able to pursue advanced learning opportunities while remaining within their own communities, fostering local development and reducing the need for migration.