President Waheed announces plans to award a President’s Medal for highest achievers in the world, in different subjects of O’Level and A’Level exams

President Dr Mohamed Waheed has announced plans to introduce a special medal, which would be awarded as the President’s Medal, for students who achieve world’s first place in different subjects of the O’Level and A’Level exams. The President made this announcement yesterday, in his Presidential Address at this year’s first sitting of the first session of the People’s Majlis.

The President noted that measures taken to improve the country’s education sector have resulted in the highest achievement in the O’Level exams being obtained last year. He said that the number of students who attain world’s first place was also increasing.

Highlighting the state of the country’s health sector, the President underlined that the health service system has been undone and narrowed down in the recent past, necessitating a lot of work for the reorganization of the sector.

Speaking on the improvement of the economic state of Maldives, the President noted that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased by 3.4 percent in 2012, and that the GDP growth for 2013 was projected to be at 4.3 percent. The President said that it was the Government policy to diversify the economy to be inclusive of all industrial sectors. He said that the relevant institutions were now assembling a strategy to broaden the economic sector.

In his Presidential Address, President Waheed stated the government’s decision to establish sewerage systems in 42 islands, and water supply systems in 10 islands this year, at the expenditure of the government, with foreign loan assistance.

As part of the programme to change over the fuel dependent power supply service of Maldives to renewable energy means, the President said that the power generation in 10 islands has been adapted to renewable energy sources, and that the power supply systems have been modernized in 15 islands. He also said that in 30 additional islands, most of the power generation would adapt to renewable energy sources.

Continuing to speak on the developmental projects, the President said that building harbours in 69 islands and renovation of harbours in 17 islands were currently underway. He said that coastal protection of 8 islands and building jetties in 3 were also in progress.

Noting that the Decentralization Act needed amendments, the President called upon all members of the parliament to prioritize this endeavor and to bring the amendments before the local council elections, which would be held later this year.