Minister of Education Dr. Ismail Shafeeu has stated that the academic calendar will be changed due to the closure of the last 10 days of the month of Ramadan. The government has declared the last 10 days of Ramadan as public holidays and also aims to move the start of the academic year to January.
Speaking to PSM News, Minister Shafeeu said that ministry officials have met with school principals and the National Institute of Education to discuss the changes. He added that the parents, teachers and students will be informed of the changes to the academic calendar this week.
Additionally, Minister Shafeeu said the second term has begun after ensuring that all preparations have been made at the schools. He also affirmed that there will be no issue in following the curriculum and teaching students. He noted that some foreign teachers resigned after going on leave but that they have been replaced with new teachers.
Furthermore, Minister Shafeeu emphasized the importance of instilling a sense of love and service towards the country in every student. He also vowed that starting from the second semester, students would receive guidance to foster their development as productive members of society. He highlighted the ministry's commitment to collaborating with all stakeholders to pursue this objective, which will significantly improve educational achievements.
The start date of the academic year was changed in 2021 after the academic year of 2020 was delayed by one year and six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, the 2021 academic year began on August 10 and the subsequent academic years began in August. According to the current academic calendar, the second semester will end on June 13 this year and the 2024 academic year will begin on July 31.