Former Minister Raashida Yoosuf has stated that aside from the leaders of the three powers of the state, the highest compensation should be given to teachers and nurses.

Raashida stated this amid the debate that started regarding the increment to the Presidents of the Women's Development Committee (WDC) by the National Pay Commission (NPC).

It was initially announced that the WDC Presidents of cities would be given a salary of MVR 41,000 and the WDC Presidents of islands would be given a salary of MVR 21,000. However, it has since been lowered, with cities' WDC Presidents to receive MVR 20,000 and islands' WDC Presidents to receive MVR 15,000.

Raashida took to Facebook and wrote that teachers and nurses are the ones who spend the most time working, they are the ones with the toughest jobs and that their positions hold the most responsibility.

She also said that both of those positions are directly linked to the lives of human beings and that they are demanding jobs, with them rarely being thanked for such important work.

"Even teachers have so many things to be responsible for. No one other than teachers (aside from the leaders of the three powers of the state) should receive the highest compensation in the country," wrote Raashida.

Due to the initial arrangements made to the WDC's pay, complaints regarding the compensation and benefits for teachers rose within the public.

Some have said that while teachers who have Masters degrees receive MVR 20,000, setting an even higher salary for those who are elected to positions without taking their academic credentials into account is not a fair course of action.