Religious Scholars Union Urges Education Ministry to Separate Genders in Schools
Photo: Ministry of Education
The Ilmuveringe Gulhun, a Maldivian union, has urged the Ministry of Education to introduce gender segregation in Maldivian schools, citing the need to adhere to religious guidelines.
In a letter addressed to Education Minister Dr Ismail Shafeeq, the union said that until 2008 most schools in the Maldives separated male and female students as far as possible. It argued that following the change of government in 2008, under the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the education system adopted a more ‘secular’ approach to student conduct, which the union described as inconsistent with Maldivian customs and traditions.
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ސްކޫލުތަކުގައި ދެ ޖިންސު މައްސުނި ނުކޮށް ކިޔަައިވައިދެެއްވުމަށް ތަޢުލީމީ ވަޒީރަށް ޢިލްމުވެރިންގެ ގުޅުމުން އިލްތިމާސްކޮށްފި.https://t.co/cPywF1QfWw pic.twitter.com/I4lgNUibAj— 𝐈𝐥𝐦𝐮𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐥𝐡𝐮𝐧 (@ilmugeGulhun) January 4, 2026
The union referred to a video recently circulated on social media showing two students of different genders from a school in the south of the Maldives engaging in what it described as inappropriate physical behaviour inside a classroom. It said the incident reflected the consequences of teaching male and female students in mixed settings.
According to the union, co-educational environments have a negative impact on student behaviour and the overall school environment. It claimed that studies by prominent institutions, including Harvard University, support the view that mixing genders in schools can adversely affect student conduct.
The letter also cited hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which the union said further justify separating male and female students in educational settings.
While thanking the ministry for recent decisions it said align with religious beliefs and guidelines, the union urged the minister to amend existing policies to formally separate genders in schools.
