President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has reaffirmed the administration's commitment to supporting and facilitating the advancement of private-sector schools and educational institutions.
He made the remarks while speaking at the event organised by the EPS Foundation held to celebrate the contributions and achievements of past students of English Preparatory and Secondary School (EPSS). Vice President Faisal Naseem accompanied President Solih at the event, both of whom are former students of the school.
At the ceremony, President Solih spoke about the important role played in serving the nation by some of the former students of EPSS and went on to name some notable figures and their contributions, both of the students and members of the faculty. The president also spoke about the proud history of the school and noted that it produced over 27,000 students, most of whom went on to become productive and valuable citizens of society. He also recalled the time of the school's inception, describing it as a time when equal access to education was challenging, and expressed his gratitude to the founders of the school for their foresight and vision to promote the modern secondary school education.
Furthermore, President Solih highlighted that EPSS accorded equal importance to providing extracurricular activities to students, including skills development programmes, literature clubs, debate competitions, cadet corps, scouts and girl guides, in addition to sporting activities.
Also at the ceremony, President of EPS Foundation Mariyam Adhiya said graduates of EPSS include heads of state, parliamentarians, and civil servants and that the school had also educated many students who travelled from the atolls.
At the ceremony, President Solih presented plaques of recognition to 26 past students and members of the faculty. Vice President Naseem also launched a research project on the 50-year history of the school.
EPSS opened with 83 students on June 21, 1986, and had educated over 27,000 students in its history.