Muizzu administration criticized for claiming Solih-era school initiative as own
The Shaheed Ali School in Hulhumalé Phase II, which opened on Tuesday for 1,950 students, was commissioned and contracted by Solih's administration in 2021 for MVR 243 million. State media is being criticized for portraying it as a project completed entirely under President Muizzu's two-year tenure. Critics accuse the current administration of taking credit for infrastructure initiated by the previous government.
The work on Shaheed Ali School, which opened with the new academic year, was awarded by the MDP government to RCC in 2021 | Raajje MV
State media has come under scrutiny for allegedly attempting to mislead the public by portraying the newly opened Shaheed Ali School as a project entirely carried out during President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s two-year tenure, despite the work being commissioned by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration in 2021.
The school, located in Hulhumalé Phase II, officially opened on Tuesday to coincide with the start of the new academic year. The project was awarded to Rasheed Carpentry and Construction (RCC) on a design-and-build basis by the Solih administration on 21 July 2021.
The contract was valued at MVR 243,119,269.20. The project was structured under a contractor finance model, with refinancing scheduled over a five-year period.
Ahmed Riyaz, a former State Minister at the Ministry of Education who signed the agreement on behalf of the government in 2021 and currently serves as a PNC lawmaker, confirmed these details to RaajjeMV.
According to reliable sources who spoke to RaajjeMV, the Solih administration had also commissioned another school in Hulhumalé, while budgeting and securing land for two additional schools during the MDP government's term.
Shaheed Ali School is a five-story facility featuring 50 classrooms. The campus includes a multipurpose hall, modern amenities, a turf ground, and indoor sports facilities. While the school has an initial capacity for 1,500 students, the Ministry of Education previously stated that it could accommodate up to 2,500 students if operated in two shifts.
As the school officially commenced operations on Tuesday, the Education Ministry announced that 1,950 students have already been enrolled to study at Shaheed Ali School.
Critics have noted that during President Muizzu’s tenure as Housing Minister, high-rise towers were developed in Hulhumalé Phase II without adequate urban planning, leaving residents deprived of essential services. To address these gaps, the MDP administration undertook the construction of mosques and schools, completing several while initiating others.
With President Muizzu’s administration approaching its two-year mark, many have accused the government of failing to deliver original projects that benefit the public. Instead, the administration is being criticized for deceitfully attempting to take credit for significant infrastructure works initiated and carried out by the previous government.
