Ghiyashuddin officially privatized yesterday

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

musthafa300The government of Maldives has signed an agreement yesterday with Shri Educare to privatize Ghiyasuddin School.

The agreement was signed on behalf of the government of Maldives by Education Minister Dr Musthafa Luthfee while Mr Karikeya Bharat Ram signed on behalf of Sri Educare Pvt Ltd.

Speaking at the agreement signing ceremony held yesterday morning at the President’s Office, President Mohamed Nasheed reiterated the government’s long-term ambition to dramatically improve the state of education in the Maldives. He added that the government’s aim was for at least 60 per cent of student who finish school to pass all their exams with higher than C grades.

Stating that Ghiyasuddin School was the first school to be privatized under the government’s public-private partnership policy, the President said that more such schools would be established in the Maldives. The President added that he was confident that such partnerships would improve the quality of education, make schools more efficient and give parents a choice of different schools.

Speaking at the function, Education Minister Dr Musthafa Luthfee said that privatization of schools would provide more choices to parents and increase competition within the system.

Minister of Civil Aviation and Communcation, Mr Mahmood Razi and Kartikeya Bharat Ram from Sri Educare Pvt Ltd also spoke at the function.

Reader Comments

  1. The performance of students is irrelevant of who runs the school, but how the standards are maintained. As a student who studied in the Maldivian education system under government run schools throughout secondary and higher secondary education, and went onto study abroad and completed degree years back, I can firmly say standards at schools have dropped drastically.Privatising is a part solution and a easy way out for state’s relief of responsibility over education.With over 40% of Maldives population being young people and children at the moment, we need an analysis of what percentage of that population is in primary school, and what percentage is to leave school within next 5 or 6 years.While a primary/lower secondary school is privatised, perhaps more emphasis needs to be on skills education and higher education.privatising a primary school could very well be a massive blunder in this respect.And in the long run may lead to a gap in society between those who are well-educated belonging to a upper class in society whereas the lower middle class and low income groups stay in “low standard” and relatively poorly managed public schools – coming out with lesser competency, ending up in lower level jobs – adding to a cycle of gaps and inequality. The privatisation policy should be phased out carefully, deciding which areas to focus on – health and education I would argue is not grounds for privatisation, given the state of the Maldivian people at this point in time.

    Posted by Kaani | November 5, 2009, 10:03 pm

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