Audit Report: Over 19,265 students enrolled in Free Degree Scheme with MVR 835 million spent to date
28 ސެޕްޓެމްބަރު 2026 | ހޯމަ 09:12An audit report has revealed that while over MVR 835 million has been spent on the government's free degree scheme, the program is plagued by disbursement delays and the lack of a robust mechanism to monitor student progress. Highlighting challenges in aligning students with technical fields required by the labor market, the Auditor General has recommended urgent administrative reforms to strengthen the scheme’s management.
A file photo from a graduation ceremony at the Maldives National University. | president office
A total of 19,265 students have enrolled in the government's free degree scheme, with expenditures reaching MVR 835 million to date, according to an audit report released by the Auditor General’s Office.
According to a performance audit report released by the Auditor General's Office, the Maldivian government has spent over MVR 835.6 million on its free first-degree scheme between 2019 and 2024.
A total of 19,265 students enrolled in the scheme during this period, with funds disbursed to 16,388 eligible candidates. However, the audit report highlights that the exact number of students who successfully completed their degrees remains unclear.
According to statistics from the scheme, the majority of students are enrolled in private colleges and universities. A total of MVR 539.5 million has been spent on students studying at private institutions, while MVR 296.1 million was allocated for students at the two state universities—the Maldives National University and the Islamic University of Maldives.
Female students account for 65 percent of the scheme's participants, while male students represent 35 percent. The majority of participants are young adults between the ages of 19 and 21.
The audit report highlights that the majority of students enrolled under this scheme are pursuing studies in business management, education, and information technology. However, the audit identifies significant challenges in aligning student enrollment with the most critical demands of the Maldivian labor market. Specifically, the report emphasizes the need for robust policies to increase the proportion of students entering technical fields such as healthcare and engineering.
Highlighting administrative challenges in the scheme's management, the audit report noted significant delays in the disbursement of funds to students. Specifically, it was observed that in some instances, the process of releasing payments took more than 12 months.
Furthermore, the Auditor General stated that the absence of a robust mechanism to monitor the academic performance and progress of students enrolled in the scheme remains a significant obstacle to maintaining the program's standards.
Furthermore, the audit report issued several key recommendations to the Ministry of Higher Education. These include restructuring the scheme to focus on human resource development in fields currently in demand within the labor market, as well as strengthening and streamlining the fund disbursement process.
The Auditor General has also recommended the establishment of a digital system to monitor students' academic progress and the conduct of a study to track the employment rates of graduates under the scheme. The report highlights that these reforms will ensure the nation fully benefits from this significant state expenditure.
