Muizzu Unveils National Service Program to Support Youth Employment and Military Recruitment

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced the launch of a National Service Program aimed at providing training for youth who lack access to further education or employment opportunities. The initiative will focus on preparing participants for roles in national security forces.

Muizzu introduced the program yesterday during his Victory Day address at Dharubaaruge. He highlighted the challenges the Maldives faces in recruiting enough personnel for its military and police forces, attributing part of the difficulty to limited opportunities for young people who do not pursue higher education after completing O’ or A’ Levels.

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According to Muizzu, the absence of educational or employment pathways often leads young people towards detrimental habits, such as substance abuse, which places significant strain on their families, society, and the government. By offering these youth military training and education, he argued, the program could benefit both individuals and the nation as a whole.

Muizzu outlined the government’s goals to train 1,000 soldiers and 1,000 police officers each year over the next four years, strengthening the country’s security forces. 

The National Service Program, set to begin next year, will be mandated for school leavers without immediate prospects for further education or employment, supported by legislative measures.