Teachers Association of Maldives (TAM) has raised concerns over the “sacrifice” of teachers to run school sports activities, calling for for them to be relieved of non-academic duties.

In a message shared on social media to mark Labor Day on 1 May, the association said teachers should not be routinely tasked with responsibilities unrelated to teaching.

TAM said many teachers are required to take on the burden of organizing and managing sports activities, often regardless of their willingness to do so.

Highlighting key concerns, the association noted that teachers are heavily involved in all aspects of school sports; from accompanying students to the field and overseeing training sessions, to spending months preparing for inter-school tournaments.

It said such responsibilities take time away from teaching, arguing that students and the country would benefit more if teachers were able to focus on their primary academic roles.

The association also pointed to the added strain of having to travel outside school premises for competitions, as well as concerns over limited free time and increased workload.

TAM said there is growing concern among teachers about being relied upon to run sports associations.

In response to these concerns, the Education zministry has introduced some changes, including renaming the inter-school sports tournament as the “Raajje Junior Championship” and raising the minimum participation age to 14.