Ministry of Education Introduces New Criteria for School Guests of Honour
Minister of Education, Dr Ismail Shafeeu, holding discussions on key educational matters | Photo: Ministry of Education
The Ministry of Education has introduced a new policy regarding the selection of guests of honour for school ceremonies, stipulating that these individuals must serve as role models for students.
The policy, communicated to schools on February 27 and implemented at the start of the new academic year, outlines stricter criteria for choosing guests of honour. Unlike the previous policy issued on September 8, 2019, which lacked specific selection guidelines, the new policy establishes that guests of honour should be respected members of society who exemplify strong moral values.
advertisement
advertisement
advertisement
Furthermore, the policy mandates that potential guests of honour must not be under investigation for criminal activity or have any suspicions of involvement in crimes. If an individual has been convicted of a crime, at least 10 years must have passed since they completed their sentence to be considered for the role. Notably, the policy prohibits anyone with a history of child abuse convictions from being selected as a guest of honour at any school event.
The policy also introduces categories for appointing guests of honour, which include annual award ceremonies and significant school anniversaries. These events, which are officially recognised by the Ministry and often involve community participation, cover milestones such as 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 100th school anniversaries, as well as student appointment ceremonies and graduation events.
For other school-level ceremonies, such as special assemblies, student talent showcases, and various competitions, the role of guest of honour will be filled by the school principal or a nominated professional from the relevant field. The selection of a guest of honour for student appointments and graduation ceremonies will also be overseen by the school principal.
The new policy also specifies that invitations to high-ranking officials, including the heads of the three branches of government, ministers, members of parliament, and foreign ambassadors to the Maldives, will be issued directly by the Ministry.
Under the previous policy, guests of honour included senior government officials, cabinet ministers, and other prominent figures. These individuals were invited to schools that had achieved a 60 percent pass rate in secondary school exit examinations or had attained a 100 percent pass rate in three subjects. However, such invitations were subject to prior approval from the Ministry.
