Minister of Education Dr Ismail Shafeeu has assured that schools will not face a teacher shortage when the new academic year begins on 27 January.
He said the Ministry of Education is in the final stages of preparations, including distributing textbooks, carrying out school maintenance, and completing the recruitment of teachers and principals, which has been prioritised.
In an interview with PSM News, Dr Shafeeu explained that teacher recruitment is planned in line with the number of foreign teachers who leave each year. Currently, more than 2,000 foreign teachers are employed in the Maldives, with an annual turnover of around 100 to 150 teachers due to resignations, contract terminations, or the need for additional staff as student numbers grow.
The minister noted that the required number of teachers to meet these changes has already been recruited, with a reserve pool maintained to respond to any unexpected gaps.
“About 150 teachers move each year, and we keep around 400 teachers on standby. Even in the case of an unusual increase, a replacement can be arranged within five days,” he said.
Dr Shafeeu added that the recruitment process is progressing smoothly and that schools are currently adequately staffed. He also confirmed that steps are being taken to appoint principals at schools where vacancies remain.
More than 11,000 teachers are currently serving in schools nationwide. In addition, the government continues to focus on strengthening teacher capacity through a national teacher training programme aimed at ensuring long-term sustainability in the education sector.
