President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated inaugurated the government expects to provide free higher education opportunities to at least 20,000 students by the end of 2023. He made the statement during the ceremony held to inaugurate the Honorary Consuls Scholarship Programme.
Delivering his remarks at the ceremony, President Solih stressed on the critical role played by honorary consuls in the delivery of consular services to Maldivian citizens abroad, in promoting economic and cultural interests of the country, and in representing the Maldives and Maldivian values in their respective countries. He went on to stress that quality education is a significant tool for the large youth population in our country to live up to their dreams.
Emphasising his administration’s efforts to improve the education sector, the president stated that over 12,000 students have enrolled in undergraduate programmes through the administration’s "Free Education Scheme for Degree Students" and that over 2,000 students have now completed their education. He added that the administration is determined to provide more scholarship opportunities under public-private partnerships and provide free higher education opportunities to at least 20,000 students by the end of 2023.
The introduction of the Honorary Consul Scholarship Programme was initiated in 2019 in line with President Solih’s pledge to enable equal opportunities for all students who wish to pursue higher education. The programme would see the awarding of 44 scholarship opportunities from 2022 to 2023, arranged by seven contributing honorary consuls.
The president was joined at the ceremony by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Higher Education Dr Ibrahim Hassan, and virtually by the respective consuls and Maldives’ Foreign Service officials.