President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said that Maldivian engineers are vital to the development of the Maldives.
The President made the remarks while speaking to students of the Faculty of Engineering, Science and Technology at the Maldives National University.
Engineers’ Day in the Maldives was officially designated last year. The main purpose of marking the day is to promote the engineering sector in the Maldives.
Speaking with students studying in the field to mark Engineers’ Day, President Muizzu said he wanted the country’s engineering sector to become one in which Maldivians themselves work. He said the government would work to ensure that students studying engineering in the Maldives are provided with good educational opportunities through universities.
“When we look at the development of the Maldives, there are many different engineering fields that are extremely important, and many Maldivians graduate in these fields and go on to serve the country. I do not want foreigners; I want us Maldivians to work across all engineering fields in the Maldives. That is how I intend to work,” the President said.
President Muizzu said Engineers’ Day was designated because there was a need to produce more people for the sector. He said the decision to officially mark Engineers’ Day was therefore taken as a policy measure.
During the meeting, some students studying engineering expressed concern that foreigners are working in the sector in significantly greater numbers than Maldivians.
Addressing the issue, the President said the government would work to resolve these concerns and find ways to ensure that Maldivians can obtain employment in the sector more easily.
“In a place with a small population like the Maldives, if young Maldivians graduate in engineering and still cannot find employment, there should be no reason for that to happen. We want to change that,” the President said.
President Muizzu also said that priority would be given to the engineering sector when awarding High Achievers scholarships and loans.
He added that the government’s aim was to encourage and inspire students completing school to enter the engineering field.