The often controversial politician, former home minister Umar Naseer has pledged free higher education under his campaign manifesto.
Naseer, who once founded the political party IDP and had later gone on to belt major political designations stated under his administration higher education will become free; enabling everyone to acquire it without resistance such as financial setbacks.
The former home minister asserted his priority of enhancing free higher education to everyone in order to better improve the human resources of the island nation. He explained this as a means to improve the economic and social welfare of the country.
He also pressed on a government's responsibility on enabling the ease of education to those who cannot financially afford it adding the families of students must not be subjected with exclusive responsibility of financing their education.
Naseer had diplomatically pilloried the incumbent government stating the administration had invested significantly less for higher education over the past few years, while promising his administration will not exclude any student who is qualified from receiving adequate higher-education opportunities.
Stressing on the importance of providing equal opportunity for higher education, Naseer highlighted on lesser-privileged families unable to provide their children with the needed higher education opportunities.
Former home minister claimed a bond-system will be introduced which demands students to work in Maldives after completing their higher-education, with the addition of expunging student loans they have acquired in turn of introducing them into the bond scheme.
While noting that only 12% of student demographic originated from atolls back in 2014 studying for first degree and a 16% reading for masters degree, Naseer ensured to provide equal educational opportunities across the country without any exception.
Naseer also pledged to the possible inception of special ministry for higher education; which would oversee and handle academic procedures, institute services. He also claimed the Maldives Qualification Authority (MQA) will be transitioned into a legally elected and identified body in order to safeguard national educational qualification structures.
Additionally the former home minister made a remarkable promise of introducing a designated educational industry and the possible inception of a research and skills development fund. Naseer had furthermore promised an inclusion of apprenticeship program to provide on-the-job training to students in order to help them transition from being students to professionals.
