Minister of Education Dr. Ismail Shafeeu has emphasised the need for teacher development to achieve educational goals. He made the statement while speaking at the third Education Ministerial Conference of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO). The conference took place in Muscat, Oman, from October 2-3.
Speaking at the conference, Minister Shafeeu highlighted the high illiteracy rates among children under 10 years old and called for urgent efforts to address the issue. As such, he referred to the roadmap from the Transforming Education Summit, which underscores the importance of implementing strategies to tackle such challenges. He also noted that the objectives of ICESCO align with those of the Maldivian government.
Additionally, Minister Shafeeu acknowledged that the Maldives has successfully met its educational targets at both the primary and secondary levels. He, however, stressed the need for further development in the areas of technology and teacher training.
Recognising that teachers are the backbone of the education system, Minister Shafeeu cited UNESCO's projections, which indicate that an additional 40 million teachers will be needed globally by 2030 to fulfill primary and secondary education requirements. He also pointed out the shortage of qualified teachers in Islamic countries and called for efforts to ensure the safety of Palestinian citizens, the removal of barriers to education for Palestinian students, and justice for children in the region.