Transforming Education in the Maldives

Abstract

The Republic of the Maldives is an archipelago in the South Asia region. It is a highly dispersed country made up of 188 inhabited islands and 105 tourist resort islands. The geographic and demographic features have implications for education across the Maldivian education system. There are particular challenges in terms of the delivery of education across the country in providing equitable access to education and improving the quality of education. There is disparity across islands depending on factors such as employment opportunities for island populations and access to a qualified and motivated teaching workforce. Recent reforms have been designed to address the need to improve the quality of education. A new national curriculum began its implementation in 2015. This is an outcomes-based curriculum, promoting a holistic approach to education, and is also underpinned by pedagogical reform, promoting learner-centered education in contrast to a transmission pedagogical approach which is prevalent across the country. Attention to increasing the use of technology in schools is another major initiative explicitly addressed through the roll out of the school tablet program which began in 2018. Underpinning recent reform is an explicit focus on inclusive education through a specially targeted policy. A focus on results from external O- and A-level examinations features strongly in discussion around quality and the implications within the broader system. There has been growth in technical and vocational education opportunities through this alternative certificate pathway. In confronting many challenges, the Maldivian education system has shown itself to be open to reform and responsive to the evolving needs within this small state.