As per directive issued by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the administration of Technical and Vocational Education Training Authority (TVET) and Maldives Polytechnic have been transferred under the mandate of Ministry of Higher Education, effective from December 13, 2018. Both the institutes have previously been mandated under the Ministry of Education.
Furthermore, by a directive issued by President Solih, the Department of Special Needs Education has been renamed to Department of Inclusive Education, effective from December 13, 2018. The department functions under the mandate of the Ministry of Education.
Following the revision, the department’s mandate now includes providing technical support in designing, organising and conducting all-inclusive educational and training programmes in schools; fulfil the requirements in schools to ensure inclusive education and equal educational opportunity to all students; provide technical support for schools to establish a proper referral system to carry out early inclusion and early intervention programmes; observe, evaluate and provide expert advice for training and education programs conducted in the field of inclusive education; train teachers and facilitators in the field of inclusive education, and upgrade their skills regularly; work with local and overseas organisations to minimise the challenges faced by students with special needs, and promote an inclusive environment, along with creating public awareness on the matter.