President Awards Order of Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin to Dr. Mohamed Latheef

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has conferred the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin (O.D.R.I.) upon Dr. Mohamed Latheef. The honor was presented during the official ceremony held this morning to mark the Maldives' Independence Day.

Dr. Mohamed Latheef has rendered distinguished service to the state for over 40 years, dedicating the majority of his career to the advancement of the Maldives' education sector. His commendable efforts were instrumental in modernizing the national education system and were pivotal in expanding and strengthening the landscape of higher education within the country. Throughout his career, Dr. Latheef held several high-ranking government positions. Most notably, he served as the Minister of Education, where he played a key role in shaping the nation's academic future.

During his distinguished career of more than 22 years in the Maldivian education sector, Dr. Mohamed Latheef contributed significantly to the advancement of the field across various disciplines. He played a pivotal role in the development of the national curriculum and was instrumental in the establishment of the Educational Development Centre (EDC) as a specialized hub for teacher training. Furthermore, Dr. Latheef’s leadership was vital in the founding of the Institute for Teacher Education, as well as the establishment and subsequent development of the Maldives Centre for Management and Administration (MCMA).

Dr. Mohamed Latheef was the visionary behind the formulation of the Maldives' first and second Education Master Plans. He played a pivotal role in expanding secondary education across the country and pioneered the introduction of higher education in the Maldives. To enhance the quality of the entire education sector, he established a "built-in supervision system." Furthermore, as the Minister of Education, Dr. Mohamed Latheef played a crucial role in the establishment of the Maldives College of Higher Education, the nation's first college, in 1998.

Dr. Mohamed Latheef is a distinguished figure who has served extensively in the Maldives' foreign service, bringing a wealth of diplomatic experience to the field. His career includes serving as the Third Secretary at the Maldivian Embassy in Sri Lanka and as the Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations. During his tenure at the UN, he actively participated in efforts to reform the international body. Furthermore, Dr. Latheef played a pivotal role in the Maldives' graduation from the list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs). He was instrumental in negotiating with relevant stakeholders to design a smooth transition strategy and led the implementation of that framework. In addition to his diplomatic contributions, Dr. Mohamed Latheef was one of the key architects behind the establishment of the Civil Service Commission and the formalization of the civil service sector in the Maldives. Serving first as a member and later as the President of the Civil Service Commission, he dedicated significant effort to strengthening the institution. He remained committed to modernizing the Maldivian civil service, ensuring it evolved in line with contemporary standards and best practices.

Dr. Mohamed Latheef most recently served as the Chancellor of the Maldives National University. He has also served as a member of both the People’s Majlis and the Special Majlis. Dr. Mohamed Latheef earned his PhD in Educational Planning from the University of Wales, United Kingdom, in 1992. He also holds a Master of Education from the same university.