Schools cannot be leased for campaign activities and rallies, the education ministry said on Saturday.
In response to Vilimale' MP Ahmed Usham expressing concern in a tweet over the leasing of schools for the activities of a particular political party, the education ministry told Adhadhu that schools cannot be leased for any campaign activity or rally.
But if the activity fits the criteria in the rules for leasing school halls and other facilities, schools will be leased to political parties as well, the ministry said.
The Dharumavantha School was leased from Saturday afternoon to evening for the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to hold a manifesto workshop. The event was held for the purpose of formulating policies for women's empowerment.
Criticizing the move in a tweet, Maldives National Party (MNP) vice president Ahmed Usham said when parties other than the MDP request the use of schools, the education ministry's reply is that leasing to parties is prohibited.
"What kind of fairness is this? What this too makes clear is that this year's presidential election will not be fair," Vilimale' MP Usham wrote in a tweet, tagging education minister Dr. Aishath Ali.
The education ministry has rules for leasing schools. The condition for not leasing is stated as, "The school has the discretion not to lease the school's compound, hall and classrooms for activities that by its nature might adversely affect the behavioral and ethical standards of students."
The rules do not state the ways for leasing to political parties.
Usham told Adhadhu that the MNP requested the hall of a Haa Dhaal Kulhudhuffushi school hall for the weekend. But the school informed the party that the education ministry has instructed that the hall could not be leased to the party.
