President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has appealed to all state institutions and parents to encourage students to complete their A' Level studies, noting the number of students applying for A' Level studies is lower. He made statement while speaking at the awarding ceremony for the O' Level National Top Ten 2019.
In the speech, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said that only 35.4 percent of students who completed their O'Levels enrolled in higher secondary education every year for the past five years, which as a result, he believes is critical to understand why 64.6 percent of students do not wish to continue their education after their O'Levels.
The president stated the government's education policy aims to build people for the development of the country and provide a better future for students. In this regard, the president noted the education sector of the country has undergone significant changes over the past three years. He shed light on the successful work being done by the government, including the government's first-degree free education programme, breakfast programme, and integrated health screening programme launched in 2019.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Solih noted that a new Education Act and a Higher Education and Training Act have been enacted in the country this year to ensure the right to education is guaranteed by the Constitution at all levels of education. The president also highlighted that the ICT Master Plan, formulated with the assistance of UNESCO, will come into effect in January 2022. He also highlighted the details of the new satellite program to be launched this year in Thinadhoo and Rakeedhoo in Vaavu Atoll and Fehendhoo in Baa Atoll which did not have schools due to lack of school facilities and an inadequate number of students in each age group.
At the ceremony, First Lady Fazna Ahmed presented trophies and certificates to 21 students who achieved second place in the O' Level examinations in 2019. Meanwhile, Vice President Faisal Naseem presented the certificates and pen given by Cambridge and certificates given by the Ministry of Education to 42 students who achieved the top positions in various subjects from 2nd to 10th of the world.
Furthermore, President Solih presented the President's Medal, the Trophy presented by the Ministry of Education, Cambridge's certificate, and pen to the five students who achieved the best results in various subjects worldwide. He also conferred the President's Award to the 10 students who achieved first place in the O' Level examinations in 2019, as well as the trophy presented by the Ministry of Education.
Among the recipients of the awards at the function, there were five students who won first place in the world, while 42 students were ranked 10th in the world.