Government asks parliament approval for changes to branches in education sector

Government has asked the parliament to approve structural changes brought to certain branches in the education sector.

Government has proposed to bring the National Institute of Education (NIE) under the Ministry of Education and to transfer the juvenile education and vocational centre to the Ministry of Gender, Family and Human Rights.

Parliament floor was opened for debate on the issue today, after receiving President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik’s letter requesting approval for the changes.

The changes follow the abolition of the two centres that were under the Ministry; Education Development Centre and the Centre for Continuing Education, and the transfer of their mandates to the National Institute of Education (NIE).

The NIE was established by the Cabinet on the 24th of December last year and was inaugurated and started to function on the 20th of last month.

Article 16 of the Constitution requires the President to submit all information relating to the ministries and their areas of jurisdiction to the parliament for approval.

The authorities currently under the Ministry of Education are; Department of Public Examinations, the administration of government schools, Department of Higher Education, the Technical and Vocational Training Authority, Maldives Qualification Authority, Maldives Polytechnic, and the Kulliyathul Dhiraasathul Islamiyyah.