MP Shujau calls MDP administration’s free degree scheme a ‘scam’

Ibrahim Shujau, the senior deputy leader of the main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC)’s parliamentary group, has called the initiative launched by the former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration offering all Maldivian citizens free enrollment in Bachelor’s Degree programs “a huge scam.”

He made the remark during a parliamentary debate on a government bill to amend the Higher Education Act on Tuesday morning.

Speaking during the debate, Shujau, who represents the Baarah constituency, said the free degree program had devalued courses offered by private colleges, making such institutions go “belly up.”

He said the Parliament must investigate “the crimes the MDP administration committed in the name of investing in higher education.”

“Honorable Speaker, we must look into how this free degree program was run for this country’s youth and higher education students. Higher education or this free degree program was run a huge scam,” he said.

Many PNC lawmakers said that previous Maldivian administrations failed to provide adequate assistance to private colleges.

Mathivari MP Hassan Zareer noted that the Higher Education Act was passed in 2021, but said the legislature had to be amended again so soon because the previous administration as well as the previous parliamentary assembly failed to do proper research.

Zareer – who was among 13 lawmakers who left the MDP to join PNC on December 28, 2023 – following MDP’s failed re-election bid – said that Maldives has issues in its higher education system.

He questioned whether educated youths are able to display the necessary work ethic and productivity, and called for research into the whole education system.

The submission of the higher education bill comes a day after the Parliament – which PNC holds a supermajority in – rejected an emergency motion submitted by the main opposition MDP, accusing the government of failing to make timely loan disbursements to overseas students.

During Tuesday’s debate, South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem – a politician from MDP – said that government lawmakers should be “ashamed of themselves” to talk about expanding higher education opportunities a day after rejecting the motion.

The free degree program was launched by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in 2019. There are currently 10,000 students enrolled in the program.