The Government of the Maldives has begun preparations to demolish the old Jamaluddin School building to make way for the new building of Arabiyya School.
Ministry of Education has contracted Well Trading Private Limited to demolish the building within 75 days at a cost of USD161,000 from the state budget. The government has vacated the old Jamaluddin School building, which had been accommodating the electoral headquarters of the Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM). The ministry stated that 22 companies have expressed interest to undertake the construction of the new Arabiyya School building and that the project is expected to be completed by next year.
A new building is being constructed for Arabiyya School after signs of wear and tear were found at its old premises, including large structural cracks on the building. Since then, Arabiyya School students have been temporarily relocated to the MTCC Sawmill Relocation Building, which previously accommodated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih announced the decision to construct a new building for Arabiyya School on the land plot of old Jamaluddin School during a meeting with the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of Arabiyya School. The decision was made following complaints from parents who expressed concern over the safety of students attending Arabiyya School. PTA members have stated that the president has shown his commitment to prioritising Arabic-medium schools in the Maldives, following his decision to develop a new building for the school.