Over 1,300 A'level slots to be offered from both CHSEs

Education Ministry has announced today that slots will be granted to over 1,300 students who applied for A'level studies at the Male' and Hulhumale' branches of Centre for Higher Education (CHSE). 

Applications for A'level studies were opened last month. 

Education Minister Dr Ismail Shafeeu said that 826 applicants for the Hulhumale' CHSE have been found eligible. Registrations have now been completed for 780 of these students. 

Of those who applied to the Male' CHSE, 502 were deemed eligible. Of these, registrations have been completed for 495.

The Minister assured that the remaining registrations will also be completed within the week. 

The government has put in place some changes to encourage more students to seek A'level studies. The minister said that the efforts have been successful. 

The minister also responded to claims that the number of students seeking A'level studies increased due to the lowering of eligibility criteria. 

"For example, previously we were unable to provide slots to a student who scored an A in maths, A in chemistry or A in biology. We also could not grant slots to a student who may have an A* in maths, A in accounting and A in economics," he explained. 

"What we are doing now is giving them slots even if they don't have passes in Dhivehi and Islam, and offering them a chance anew to learn Dhivehi and Islam," he said. 

The minister said that this approach had led to a 10 percent increase in applicants in the Male' region. 

A'level studies are set to commence on September 14.