The Ministry of Education has announced that the O'Level and A'Level examinations will be held in May and June following permanent changes to the academic calendar.

Speaking at an appearance on Raajje TV's "Edhuruveshi" programme, Deputy Minister for Education Ahmed Mujahid stated that students would have the opportunity to initiate their A'Level schooling once the new academic year begins in August later this year.

He also noted that the 6-month break given to students between O'Levels and A'Levels will be shortened to one or one-and-a-half months with the new changes brought to the academic calendar, and that this would address concerns of parents who felt that those six months were being wasted.

Detailing the new changes to the academic calendar, Deputy Minister Ahmed Mujahid said that the academic year had been changed after much deliberation with stakeholders. He added that changing the academic year had been a request made by members of the public when this administration took office, such as from parents of students who were working within the tourism sector.

The Ministry of Education had implemented the change in order to allow parents to spend some time on holiday with students, who had their education and learning experience hindered significantly by the pandemic. The academic calendar had been changed in 2020 to accommodate for the losses, and the change has since been made permanent.

The new academic year is scheduled to begin on 10 August 2021.

Minister of Education Dr. Aishath Ali has previously confirmed that the May/June Edexcel AS and A'Level examinations will be conducted in the Maldives as previously scheduled. A decision had been following meetings with Edexcel representatives, to allow Edexcel AS and A'Level examinations to continue as preciously scheduled in the country, with as-yet unseen question papers.

The Education Ministry has also revealed that students will be receiving the results of their exams on 10 August later this year.