President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated the administration will not make students bear debts in their pursuit of higher education. The president made the remark at the Convocation Ceremony of the Islamic University of Maldives (IUM).
Addressing the ceremony, President Solih stated although IUM might be a relatively young institution, it is an institution backed by 39 years of proud history. The president said every graduate would play an important role in the country's progress and development and every coin spent on education would be a worthwhile investment.
Emphasising on this point, President Solih further stated the reason the administration allocated such a huge portion from the national budget for education is because of the government's belief the country will attain development with the investment in the education sector.
The president said as the bearer of the responsibilities of all the Maldivian people, it is his top priority to develop human resources in the country and the belief of the administration firmly lies in bringing development to the self and character of all individuals. In this regard, he shed light on the focus of the administration in providing a free degree programme for those students who pursue higher studies in Maldives and reduction of interest rate to 3% for those students who pursue loans for attaining higher education from abroad. He also stated the payback period for student loans have been extended by 25%.
Furthermore, the president highlighted the education attained by the graduates will be the foundation of their lives and advised the graduates to build a life on that groundwork with commitment and integrity at every aspect of their lives. He also urged the graduates to build better societal ties based on respect, kindness, friendship, fairness, and honesty.
Moreover, President Solih has stated one of the key target of the education policy of the administration is to ensure every student who enters the society after graduating, is nurtured to be steadfast in the true Islamic teachings for the betterment of the society.
The president also noted no graduate of IUM has been swayed by extremist ideologies and called on all graduates to become exemplary citizens. He further stated the graduates are a valuable investment for the development of the nation and that the nation will be shaped based on how well the graduates use their knowledge. He also urged the graduates to actively participate in the nation building.