Ministry of Education has revealed it has received 60 applications for scholarship opportunities for school principals.
The education ministry announced 20 scholarship opportunities to train school principals in November last year. The ministry stated individuals who receive the scholarships will be trained in Malaysia and will also receive an allowance equivalent to a principal's salary.
The individuals who receive the scholarships will also be granted free two-way tickets to Malaysia and will be required to work at a school chosen by the government for a specific period of time after they graduate. The ministry stated it received 64 applications before the deadline and that 43 applicants meet the criteria for the scholarship opportunities. The applicants are required to have achieved a bachelor's degree in education and have five years of experience as a teacher.
Furthermore, Minister of Education Dr. Aishath Ali has stated the government aims to train 20 school principals per year. Minister Aishath said the government has found it difficult to find experienced and capable principals and that one of the key issues is the inadequate salary allocated for the positions.
However, the minister said the government has made efforts to solve the issue, which includes providing a monthly allowance of USD 195 to principals who have to travel to other islands for work.