If the public waits until 2028 to change this administration, a dark era will begin for education sector: Yaugoob

Former Dhaandhoo MP Yaugoob Abdulla has warned that waiting until 2028 to change President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration will lead to a bleak future for the Maldives' education sector.

Speaking at the opposition MDP’s rally on Wednesday night, Yaugoob stated that mental health issues have been labeled as a consequence of weak faith, and the responsibility for addressing these matters has been transferred to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.

However, he noted that the Minister of Health recently revealed that one in four people in the Maldives suffers from mental health issues. He highlighted that this figure includes a significant number of students, particularly those in grades 10 to 12.

However, the Education Minister is stating that they do not accept this perspective. The Minister rejects the notion that mental health issues are a result of weak religious faith. Therefore, the Minister believes there is no reason for the Education Ministry to cater to such matters. Instead, any issues related to that should be referred to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.

Yaugoob Abdulla

Yaugoob stated that although the Education Act currently mandates the inclusion of a mental health professional on the board, the proposed bill seeks to remove this requirement. He further alleged that this is a calculated effort to distance Maldivian students from education and foster an ignorant society. He characterized the move as a pre-planned strategy designed to facilitate the dissemination of specific propaganda.

Furthermore, Yaugoob emphasized that the Maldivian people, and particularly the MDP, must remain vigilant and alert. He warned that any complacency could result in the country’s entire future slipping away. He also launched a scathing critique of President Muizzu, stating that the bills submitted to Parliament and the government's own actions have now made it clear to the public "which party is secular and which is religious." Yaugoob added that the public is witnessing how the current administration treats those who speak out in defense of Islam.

Yaugoob stated that the current administration must be defeated, warning that waiting until 2028 would signal the beginning of a dark era for the education sector. He further asserted that the government is poised to sideline children from their educational journeys, effectively working to create an uninformed and uneducated generation.