Alarm raised over increase in Maldivian students opting for business stream

Former Maldives National University (MNU)’s Vice Chancellor Dr. Hassan Hameed has emphasized that the fact that more than 20 percent of students in the Maldives are pursuing business studies is a cause for concern.

Commenting on statistics obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) request regarding the proportion of students taking different streams in secondary examinations, Hassan said it was concerning for a country like the Maldives to have more than 20 percent of students enrolled in business studies.

ދަށު ސާނަވީ އިމްތިޙާނު ތަކުގައި، އެކި ތަޢުލީމީ ގޮފިން (ސްޓްރީމުން) ބައިވެރިވާ ދަރިވަރުންގެ ނިސްބަތް ހޯދުމަށް ހުށަހެޅި RTI ފޯމު ގެ އިޖާބަ ލިބުމުން ސާފުކުރެވުނު ނަތީޖާ ތިރީގައި އެވަނީއެވެ. ރާއްޖެ ފަދަ ޤައުމެއްގައި، %20 އަށް ވުރެ ބިޒްނަސް ކިޔަވާ ދަރިވަރުން ގިނަވުމަކީ ހާސްވާން ޖެހޭ… pic.twitter.com/JIG7PGNLAe

— Hassan Hameed (@hsn_hameed) September 16, 2026

Hassan noted that even in countries such as the United Kingdom and Singapore, the proportion of students pursuing business studies remains below one-fifth of the student population.

"Some might argue that the widespread corruption in this country is a consequence of this figure [students studying business] reaching 80 percent in the past. Are you concerned about this ratio?" Hassan asked in his post.

He shared the statistics provided by the Education Ministry on students who sat for the 2025 GCE O’ Level, IGCSE, and SSE examinations.

According to the data, 7,017 students sat for the three core subjects in the business stream — Business Studies, Accounting, and Economics — in 2025. This represents 49 percent of the students who participated in the examinations. Meanwhile, 8,957 students took the three science subjects — Biology, Chemistry, and Physics — accounting for 50 percent of the total student population.

Within the arts stream, only 53 students sat for the History examination, while 58 students took Geography. Together, these subjects accounted for just one percent of the total number of students.