Over 650 Apply for National Service Programme So Far, Says President Muizzu

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said today that 658 candidates have already sent their applications for the National Service programme this administration is launching. 

Speaking at the ratification ceremony for the Prevention of Gang Crimes and Other Dangerous Crimes Bill at the President’s Office, the President announced that 658 individuals have so far applied for the National Service programme. Of these, 538 are male candidates. He highlighted that approximately 316 of the applicants are under the age of 18 and submitted their applications with parental consent.

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The deadline for this program is the end of this month.

Muizzu said that they plan to train 1,000 candidates under the programme this year. However, due to current limitations in training facilities, the first batch will include fewer participants. To meet the target, the government will launch an additional training batch later in the year. He also confirmed ongoing efforts to expand these facilities to train approximately 4,000 candidates annually.

He described the programme as a vital initiative to steer children away from crime, noting that unemployment and aimless time spent on the streets often lead young people into criminal activity. According to President Muizzu, public response has been encouraging — many parents are already enrolling their children, which he sees as a sign of growing trust in the government’s efforts to protect youth from falling into harmful societal patterns.

“Even those involved in street crime have potential and can become valuable members of society. I want to see our youth become respectable citizens — not defined by the labels society places on them,” he said.

Earlier this month, during a special 14-hour press conference marking World Press Freedom Day, President Muizzu revealed that participants in the programme would receive a monthly allowance of approximately MVR 6,000 during their service period.

The programme is open to individuals aged 16 to 28 and includes military training alongside capacity-building skills. Participants will have the opportunity to continue their careers in the military or transition into other professional sectors.