Vice President Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has announced that the Kulliyyathul Dhiraasathil Islamiyya (College of Islamic Studies) would soon be established as an Islamic University. The Vice President made this remark while speaking at the graduation ceremony of Kulliyyathul Dhiraasaathil Islamiyya held this evening.
Speaking in this regard, the Vice President said that discussions were currently underway between the Government of Maldives and the International Islamic University Malaysia, Qatar, Kuwait and other overseas universities.
In his speech, the Vice President said that the development that is brought to the Maldives must encompass Islamic principles and moral values. He said that today’s government has begun major reform work on the country’s education system. In this regard, he noted that teaching Arabic language and the holy Quran has been included as compulsory school subjects, and that from the year 2015, Islamic discipline would also be introduced as a subject in the school curriculum.
Vice President Jameel, in his speech, noted the invaluable services provided to the country by Kulliyyathul Dhiraasaathil Islamiyya, previously Mauhadhul Dhiraasaathil Islamiyyaa; especially the very dutiful citizens the institution has produced. He underscored that Mauhadh graduates were today being seen as judges and magistrates in the country’s judiciary, and holding other important offices of the Government.
Highlighting the importance Maldivians give for higher education, the Vice President said that today, the number of those pursuing higher education has increased significantly, as well as the number of educational institutions. He said that this shows that the Maldivian people were eager for development.
However, despite the shortfall of local workers in some areas, the Vice President said that depending solely on expatriates was not healthy for the country economically or socially. Speaking in this regard, the Vice President raised his concerns over the steady increase of expatriate workers in the Maldives. He pointed out that this increase was affecting the country’s social fabric, which we must be vigilant of.
