The Minister of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development Dr. Ismail Shafeeu has stated that he has informed Iskandhar School management that he has denied the workers union that the school's teachers have worked to register due to the inclusion of a state institution's name.

While answering a question from Kendhoo Constituency MP Mauroof Zakir during Parliament sitting, the minister said that including a state institution's name or including such a name for a union that may cause confusion is not allowed as per the Industrial Relations Act. The minister went on to say that aside from public companies, schools have certain qualities and are places that have a lot of restrictions placed on them.

"In short, as per Article 12 (A)(4) of the Industrial Relations Act, we do not believe that a union which includes Iskandhar, Majeediyya, Ameeniya or any other school name can be used," said Shafeeu.

The Education Minister does not see that the union has been registered in the proper manner, and that they are preparing to submit the issue to the Registrar of Unions. The minister also stated that Iskandhar School's principal had informed the union created by the school's teachers would not be accepted as per instruction from the ministry.

"We will give the opportunity for the rights of teachers in schools to be protected. Even so, I state to the MPs that we do not have the intention of giving opportunities for school names to be used," said Shafeeu.

During the questioning phase after the minister's answer, MP Mauroof stated that the union created by Iskandhar School teachers was registered in January 2026 by the relevant government ministry, and that the ministry invited the union to take part in the rally organized by the Home Ministry on May Day. And so, while the relevant state parties have stated the union can be active under their name, the MP asked as to what act the minister was referring to when he said that the union cannot be active under their name.

"Even though it was registered by a state administration, it was registered without proper consideration. I do not want to argue against it. However, while referring to my previous answer, I would like to say that schools have certain aspects and safeties placed upon them, and we have to think in a certain way when it comes to them," said the minister.

According to the minister, as the Iskandhar School's union has the word "Iskandhar" in it, the only relation it would have is to the school itself and nowhere else.

Along with stating that creating a union with a school's name is not proper, Shafeeu gave some reasons why a separate union should not be created in a school.

One of the reasons the minister said is that schools are a place made specifically for the children of a nation. And as everything that happens there is connected to their learning and education, ensuring the security and safety of such places is the responsibility of the schools principals and management, said the minister.

Even though some schools in countries have band unions, schools in most countries work for their rights by being active in unions at a national level, as was said by the minister.