The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has announced that 20 individuals will be sent abroad to Mecca as part of the National Project for Refreshing Imams and Khateebs. The programme wa launched on February 11 and will offer training both locally in the Maldives and abroad.
Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed disclosed that the initial batch of further training for imams and preachers will depart for Mecca on February 16. He is pursuing plans to send another group of imams to Saudi Arabia for training later in the year, with the second group scheduled to depart just before Ramadan, anticipating an increase in participants.
Additionally, Minister Saeed outlined plans to send imams and khateebs to various countries including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia for training throughout the year. He also said that imams and khateebs will continue to be sent out in successive rounds, with additional educational opportunities expected to open up in March.
The National Project for Refreshing Imams and Khateebs is a programme aimed at enhancing the skills of permanent imams across 11 regions through additional training. The government has set a target of training 700 imams by the year's end through this initiative.