In response to growing concerns over students’ comprehension of Islamic teachings, Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has affirmed that teaching the Islam subject in English poses no issue—as long as students understand the material.
The Minister’s remarks come amid public debate about the difficulty many students face in grasping lessons from Islamic textbooks exclusively in Dhivehi language.
Acknowledging these challenges, Minister Shaheem emphasised the need to revise the current Islamic curriculum to make it more accessible to the modern generation. In a recent social media post, he urged educators and curriculum developers to simplify content, restructure book layouts, and tailor lessons to students’ age and grade levels.
He also recommended dividing Islamic studies into distinct subject areas across educational stages to enhance clarity and understanding. On the topic of language, the Minister stated that using English as a medium of instruction is acceptable when it aids comprehension, particularly for students more fluent in English.
However, he stressed the importance of strengthening the Dhivehi language, advocating for its use across the education system to ensure its development and preservation. Teaching Dhivehi as a dedicated subject, he noted, is beneficial but insufficient—system-wide adoption is key to linguistic advancement.