President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has announced the government's decision to include new courses in the free degree programme to train professional accountants. He delivered the remarks during the opening ceremony of the Maldives Accountants Forum 2021, which was organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Maldives.
Speaking at the event, President Solih noted the country's growth and the positive signs shown in the national financial sector since the COVID-19 pandemic. The president said the government's free degree programme aims to train youth to become professionals most needed in the country. As such, he said new courses will be added to the free degree programme to train professional accountants and auditors.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Auditor General Hussain Niyazi said the Chartered Accountants of the Maldives has discussed with the government on training more local professional accountants. Niyazi, who is also the President of Chartered Accountants of the Maldives, said a survey made by the institute has determined the number of professional accountants needed in the country. He detailed the private sector currently employees 4,500 foreign accountants and that 15% of individuals who pay income taxes are in the accounting sector, while 80% of those individuals are foreigners.
During the ceremony, representatives from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Maldives presented President Solih with a commemorative plaque. A presentation was also shown of the 67-year history of the accounting sector in the Maldives at the ceremony.