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Enhancing the
Educational System in Maldives
An explosion
by a school girl who has just stepped into her Advanced Level
Noora 03/03/2005
Educations role in reacting to the
economic, social and political changes arising within the
nation should be practical enough to bring necessary changes
when required rather than merely reacting to certain changes
and events. In other words, it should aim toward purposeful
interventions rather than inert reactions. In regard to this,
the present situation in the Maldives symbolizes that
necessary changes, especially those concerned with education
is indispensable.
 It’s
true that the present educational system established in the
Maldives is adequate for an ordinary level of education.
Primary and secondary schools established in Male’ provide an
appropriate level of English medium schooling to those
dwelling within surroundings of Male’. Foreign teachers
followed by locals, engross students at schools with different
resources to help the students obtain a proper state of
education, followed by ways to enhance their skills and
talents. Not only this, but they are also said to be ensuring
that the students be taught to discipline themselves when
socializing with the rest of the world.
This is the point where questions arise. Why is it that such a
well formed educational system with high aims to prosper its
students with discipline and education, releasing into the
Maldivian society a group of ex-students creating tribulations
within the society? Is it that the education provided has no
effect on these youngsters or that there is a place for
enhancement in the educational system of Maldives. In either
case it is indeed an issue into which we need to give relative
importance. It indicates that there is still a lot of space
for improvement. This could be done either by improving the
quality and quantity of teachers, cultivating the techniques
used in teaching and by transmitting the values of respectable
behavior through out the practical days of schooling. It
should be seen to that the usual methods of teaching in which
events in the classroom are interpreted from the teacher’s
point of view alone, and their implications for students’
learning are rarely perceived, be avoided at all times. It is
also rather important that the students be given immense
opportunities to explore and expand horizons of there own
capabilities and talents. This could easily be obtained if the
traditional spoon feeding methods of teaching is led to be
overtaken by a much more free form of education where the
students themselves do research to obtain a high level of
understanding of what they are studying. Basically speaking,
we need to give up the fixed amount of notes that the teachers
make us write in our books, and teach the children for once
and forever to open up their text books and do what students
all over the world do to achieve an effective form of
education.
in addition to this, we have to view the other Atolls in
Maldives, not only Male’, as places where children are able to
acquire equal levels of education. Why is it that our
educational system is based in such a way that those students
studying in the Atolls start there former education in
Dhivehi, unlike those students studying in Male’ schools. Is
it that they deserve less, or that they are being
discriminated or that they are being deprived of what they
have equal rights on? In either case this needs to be changed
or reformed. They should be given equal rights as those of
students studying in Male’, as this is the only way in which
we can make these students as capable as any others who are
being blessed with opportunities for education. It is also
very important that followed by primary and secondary schools,
all Atolls also be provided with higher levels of schooling,
as such of Advanced level. This, as easy it is to be put into
words can be said as a difficult task seeing it from a
practical point of view. But then, what is difficult to be
done can never be referred to as impossible, which clearly
indicates that there is surely hope for success.” Where there
is a will there will always be a way.”
As we are stepping into reform and multiparty democracy, we
need our young people to be educated, for our nation to have a
prosperous future. Why not we bring necessary changes to our
educational system, and give birth to a generation that has
the potential to reform, rebuild and shape a batter Maldives?
This way we will have in our nation more youngsters who react
to the present to create a better future, and this will be the
only way by which our small nation could save its generations
from being raised up by the essence of barbaric
rebellions.
Ends
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