Parents request for a physical school in Dhidhdhoo

Parents of ADh. Dhidhdhoo has asked President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu today for education to be conducted at a physical school rather than a satellite one which has been the case on the island.

Dhidhdhoo is one of the islands with the lowest populations in Maldives, with just 140 people. Due to this, the students were taught in a multi-grade teaching system, where two grades were combined and taught in school up until 2022.

Subsequently, it was changed into a satellite school in 2023. Even then, parents had expressed that this was something they did not want.

During today's meeting with Dhidhdhoo residents when they were given the opportunity to pose questions to the President and ministers, island Council President Ahmed Mohamed had stated that the parents of the students who study on the island do not want a satellite school.

"Parents do not want their children to be taught via a satellite school. They want their children to be taught by them going to a physical school," said the Council President.

The Council President requested on behalf of the residents for the 17 students on the island to be able to physically attend school.

A parent had said that the island has not gotten a Quran teacher and a business teacher for two years. The parent requested the satellite school ruling be changed so that students can go to a physical school to obtain their education.

"Our children's education has being destroyed ever since the satellite school. None of the students who took the O Levels passed. I beg that their education be changed to a physical school," said a parent.

President Muizzu stated that after discussions with Education Minister Dr. Ismail Shafeeu, a solution will be reached while taking the amount of students into account.

Along with Dhidhdhoo, the islands that began teaching via satellite schools at the time were B. Fehendhoo, V. Rakeedhoo and V. Thinadhoo. However, due to a lack of students, there is no more education in Rakeedhoo and Thinadhoo.

Satellite schools utilize videos to teach. Teachers are still required to attend classes. Hulhumale's Huravee School is the main hub for satellite schools, with Huravee School teachers conducting the classes online. The administration is in charge of providing students of satellite schools with computers and internet services.