The People’s Majlis has opened for public consultation on a proposed amendment to the Education Act, which seeks to allow homeschooling for children meeting specific criteria.
The deadline for submitting feedback on the proposed amendment is 2:00 pm on November 12. Interested parties can submit their views via email to legal+sub1@majlis.gov.mv or by sending a written submission to the Parliament Secretariat.
The amendment, introduced by Huraa MP Anara Naeem, stipulates that exemptions from school attendance may be granted based on a child’s physical condition, degree of disability, or other special circumstances. Such children would be permitted to pursue education through a homeschooling program, provided it adheres to established regulations.
However, the amendment clarifies that children whose disabilities render them unable to participate in either formal schooling or a homeschooling program would be exempt from the compulsory education requirement.
The conditions for providing education under a homeschooling program include:
- The child must be unable to attend school due to a physical disability, mental health condition, or other special circumstance.
- The parents or guardians must demonstrate the financial capacity to provide education through a homeschooling program.
- The child must be registered with a school within the formal education system.
The amendment further mandates that the Ministry must outline specific criteria in its regulations to determine when a child’s degree of disability exempts them from compulsory education.
Additionally, the bill states that if a child of compulsory school age completes secondary education recognised by the Maldives' formal education system before turning 16, they will no longer be required to attend school.
The amendment also emphasises that parents must make adequate efforts to ensure the child is taught in a manner and to a level appropriate for their specific disability.
While the bill is now open for public comment, it has already faced criticism from prominent figures, including former Education Minister Dr Aishath Ali and former President Mohamed Nasheed.
During the preliminary debate on the bill, Galolhu South MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem expressed concerns that introducing such an amendment without a robust regulatory framework could be exploited by those harboring extremist ideologies.
