MVR 14.7M grant assistance for Japanese scholarships

The Maldives and Japan, on Monday, signed an agreement on a MVR 14.7 million grant to support scholarship opportunities for Maldivian students.

The agreement was signed on behalf of the Maldives by Higher Education Minister Dr. Ismail Shafeeu, while Japan was represented by Taki Moto, Resident Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the Maldives.

According to the Higher Education Ministry, the agreement will create opportunities for individuals working in the Maldivian public sector to pursue higher education. Japan will provide a grant of 152 million Japanese yen, equivalent to approximately USD 951,915.81, to support the program.

State Minister for Higher Education Ahmed Shafeeu told state media that the partnership will enable Maldivian students to pursue their studies at prestigious universities in Japan.

He further noted that the program primarily targets government employees. Since 2020, a total of 36 scholarship opportunities have been awarded to Maldivians under the initiative.

Japan remains a key development partner of the Maldives, providing substantial assistance across a range of sectors.