Minister: No changes to current ninth and tenths graders despite academic year shift

Education Minister Dr. Ismail Shafeeu says no changes will be made to the studies of current ninth and tenth graders despite Sunday’s cabinet decision to shift the commencement of the academic new year starting 2026.

Minister Shafeeu, in a post on Facebook, said there will be no changes to the timeframe of the studies of ninth and tenth graders. In this trajectory, they will be sitting their O’ level examinations in May/June as planned, said the minister.

He also said the students will not face any loss of classroom learning time in order to ensure the coverage of their syllabus.

As per the Minister, the shift will be implemented throughout five semesters. He added the shift, complementing the Maldives’ fiscal year, will benefit the school system.

He also noted that tourism sector workers based outside of the residential islands will receive the same amount of holidays they are now receiving despite the change.

The prevailing academic year will conclude in June.

Maldives had longed begun its academic new year in January. However, the academic new year had to be extended in 2020 by six months in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision was then made to shift the academic new year to early August.

Shifting the commencement of the academic new year to back January is an electoral pledge of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. While some support the shift, others do not.