A-Level Enrolments Rise After New Criteria, Says Education Minister
Minister of Education Dr Ismail Shafeeu | Photo: Education Ministry
The government’s recent changes to A-level admission criteria have led to an increase in student enrolments, with the proportion of students enrolling rising to 49 percent.
The adjustments, implemented in August, lowered the criteria for enrolment in Grades 11 and 12 and introduced three pathways for A-level admission: academic streams, vocational education, and apprenticeship programmes.
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Education Minister Dr. Ismail Shafeeu said the increase reflects growing awareness among students and parents about the importance of A-level education. Of the 6,700 students who completed their O-levels in 2023, 2,100, or 32 percent, had enrolled in A-level classes. This year, 3,200 of 6,500 students, or 49 percent, chose to continue to A-level, representing a 17 percent increase.
Dr. Shafeeu highlighted that 13 schools in the atolls have started offering A-level classes this year, signalling rising demand for higher secondary education outside the capital. He emphasised that the two years of higher secondary education are important not only for academic development but also for equipping students with life skills and preparing them for the workplace.
The minister added that the government will soon introduce two distinct pathways in higher secondary education: an academic pathway and vocational training.
