Government of Maldives has declared that schools will be closed on Monday.

Spokesperson at the President’s Office, Ibrahim Muaz Ali confirmed the announcement to RaajjeMV on Thursday, however, he had not revealed further details stating that the Ministry of Education will be briefing the press regarding the matter.

Muaz further revealed that although schools are to be closed on Monday, it is not a government holiday. As such, government offices and institutions will still be open on Monday.

The Ministry of Education had informed schools that they will be closed on Monday, Muaz revealed.

The spokesperson went on to reveal that the decision to close off schools on Monday was reached since Sunday is the day of the Presidential Election where polling stations will be stationed mostly in schools in the capital city as well as across outlying atolls.

Although Monday has not been declared a holiday for government-run offices, Sunday was declared a public holiday by President Abdulla Yameen in early August.

While the Presidential Election, slated for upcoming Sunday, comprises of 262,135 eligible voters, the Elections Commission is to place 472 ballot boxes across the nation. The only two candidates vying for Presidency are candidate number one, incumbent President Abdulla Yameen, vying for re-election, along with his running mate Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed and candidate number two, Joint Opposition coalition’s Presidential candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih along with his running mate representative in Parliament, Faisal Naseem.