Education Ministry opens admissions for students enrolling in 1st grade next year

Education Ministry has opened applications to enrol students who would be joining first grade next year.

As common practice in previous years, application forms are now available from schools within the atolls, while applications to enrol students into Malé schools have to be submitted via an online form. The e-form is available at https://myoffice.moe.gov.mv/forms/id/2.

The deadline for sending in the applications is 6th November, 2024. The Ministry said no applications would be entertained after this date, and urged respective parents to apply as soon as possible.

Education Minister Dr. Ismail Shafeeu said the reason for opening up applications early this time is to alleviate school transfer difficulties faced during previous years due to time constraints.

"This time, students will know in advance which school they are getting a placement in. Then they can go to the school, identify their class and introduce themselves," the Minister said.

Previously, students were admitted to first grade if they had not turned seven years old by 1st January of each year. However, with the academic calendar starting in August, students who turned seven years old by the December were enrolled into first grade during the last two years.

With the new changed proposed to the academic calendar by the current administration, the ongoing academic calendar will finish by February 2025, and the following academic year will begin on 6th April 2025.

As per the circular regarding enrolling and transferring students, published by the Education Ministry this January, students who turn six years by 31 December 2024, but not seven years old by then, would be enrolled into the first grade next year.

As such, all students who complete UKG (Upper Kindergarten) during the 2024-2025 academic year will join grade one in the 2025 academic year from 6th April onwards.