Minister Muththalib shares personal journey and advise to students

Minister Muththalib shares personal journey and advise to students Construction Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib shared his personal experiences and offered heartfelt advice to students and parents at Kalaafaanu School’s awards ceremony, encouraging them to pursue fields critical to national development.

Reflecting on his own educational journey, the minister urged students to choose disciplines that are useful to Maldives, like engineering and technical sciences. He said that many are shifting to easier fields and avoiding these challenging but essential areas.

“As the Construction Minister, I know the number of students studying civil engineering is very low, even among those studying abroad,” he said.

“Mathematics and science may be tough, but they are essential to life and to building the country.”

Muththalib emphasized the value of international exposure and campus life, sharing how his own experience studying in the UK profoundly shaped him. After receiving the Presidential Scholarship, he travelled alone to London which is the the second time he had ever been abroad.

“It was a cultural shock in London. At first, I thought I wouldn’t be able to study, that I wouldn’t pass. But I adapted,” he said.

“I realised that university teaches you only so much. What truly prepares you for life is living among people, learning from your environment.”

He encouraged students to take full advantage of scholarships and study abroad opportunities, not just for academic results, but for life lessons such experiences offer.

The minister also shared the struggles he faced after returning to the Maldives with a PhD from one of the world’s top universities. Despite serving as a deputy minister for five years and overseeing the Sinamale' Bridge project, he struggled to find a job upon graduation.

“I believed my experience and education would secure me a job quickly. But I was wrong. I spent a difficult period unemployed,” he said.

Yet, it was during that time that he began geo-technical investigation with a friend. He said that it had prepared him for his current role.

“No matter how successful you are, life brings challenges,” Muththalib told the students.

“But if you trust in Allah and move forward with your knowledge and experience, you will find success. You won’t need to work under anyone.”

He also said he would raise these concerns about low enrolment in priority fields with Higher Education Minister Dr Ali Haidar during cabinet discussions. He said that scholarships and student loans should be prioritized for sectors vital to the country’s future.