President Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Honour Educators, Stressing Their Role in Nation’s Progress

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed marked World Teachers’ Day on Sunday with messages that affirmed the indispensable role of educators in securing the nation’s progress and stability. Both the president and the first lady used social media to extend congratulations and express gratitude to the country’s teachers.

President Muizzu underscored that the responsibility for safeguarding the Maldives’ future rests primarily in the hands of its teachers. He described teaching as a proud and honourable service, one whose value cannot be measured in material terms.

"The hard work and zeal of teachers is a valuable and proud service that includes benefits for both this world and the hereafter, and cannot be valued by any material thing," President Muizzu wrote.

He went on to note that the children currently in schools are the resolute and brave individuals who will one day carry the nation’s flag. Their transformation into the resilient generation envisioned by Maldivians, he said, depends entirely on the compassion, guidance, and education provided by teachers today.

"The resolute, brave, and excellent children who will carry the flag of this nation tomorrow are in the schools today," President Muizzu said. "They will be nurtured into the resilient generation desired by Maldivians through the guidance, education, and compassion provided by teachers today. The biggest role and power in securing a bright future for the Maldives lies in the hands of the teachers."

To support this mission, the president pledged that his government would dedicate special attention to advancing the education sector and improving facilities for teachers. He closed his message with congratulations and prayers for the health and prosperity of educators’ families.

First Lady Sajidha reinforced the president’s message, declaring that a society without teachers has no future. She warned of the profound decay that would result from their absence, saying such a society would lack civilisation, life, and hope.

Her remarks also drew attention to the multifaceted role of teachers. For students, she said, every teacher serves simultaneously as a mother, a father, and a guardian. She credited educators with the essential task of transmitting knowledge and skills from one generation to the next. In her message of congratulations, the first lady expressed a prayer that the Maldives may continue to benefit from the service and dedication of kind and diligent teachers.

World Teachers’ Day has been observed annually on 5 October since its first global commemoration in 1994. The day recognises the vital contributions of teachers to education and society, while also drawing attention to the support and conditions they require to fulfil their role.

The 2025 theme, set by UNESCO and its partners, is “Recasting teaching as a collaborative profession”, underscoring the need to transform teaching from an isolated endeavour into a cooperative, system‑wide effort.