Minimum Wage Review to Be Completed by December, Says Minister

The review of the national minimum wage will be finalised by December this year, according to Minister of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development Dr Ali Haidar Ahmed.

The minimum wage in the Maldives must be announced every two years.

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Minister Haidar, summoned to today’s parliamentary sitting, attributed the delay in reviewing the minimum wage to the failure to formulate a report required by the Minimum Wage Advisory Board, originally due on 8 November 2023. Responding to lawmakers’ queries, he acknowledged the government’s failure to enact regulations under the Industrial Relations Act, despite the law having been in force for a year.

During the allocated questioning period, several lawmakers also raised concerns about delayed disbursement of student loan payments for Maldivian students studying abroad. Among those questioning the Minister was North Galolhu MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudoo) of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), who expressed frustration over the lack of response. Minister Haidar declined to address the issue during the session, stating it fell outside the scope of the day’s discussion.

Following the sitting, MP Kudoo took to social media platform X, describing the Minister’s refusal to respond as an “irresponsible act” and reiterated that unresolved delays in loan payments remain a major concern for many students and their families.

In a previous written response to Parliament dated 30 April, Minister Haidar had acknowledged the delays, attributing them to incomplete information or missing documentation submitted by students. Addressing the matter again during his 13 May appearance in Parliament, the Minister announced the planned launch of a new digital platform, the ‘Higher Education Management System’, by October. The system is intended to streamline services and address student grievances.

In the interim, the Ministry has begun establishing WhatsApp hotlines for student complaints, with dedicated lines for countries hosting more than 50 Maldivian students. Minister Haidar confirmed that the first hotline is now operational. Nevertheless, lawmakers noted that students and parents continue to face difficulties in reaching the Ministry, despite the new measures.