:: Dhivehi Observer :: Peoples Press ::

EDUCATIONAL FUND OR SPECIAL FAVOUR FUND?

Fathimath Shifaana, Maldives 15th October 2004

Recently we have been hearing about the Educational Fund setup by the government to provide further education opportunities to us Maldivians. According to Ministry of Education, four thousand application forms have been taken for just 100 places. This includes 75 scholarships and 25 loan opportunities and the deadline for submitting application forms was 12th October 2004. This is a dream, which has come true for us Maldivians who are desperate to gain further studies. However, I wonder whether this educational fund set up by the government is going to help us "ordinary" Maldivians? I really doubt it. This is because with every government initiative like this we have seen corruption from the very top to bottom and a lot of injustice to ordinary Maldivians. With such initiatives, we see high-ranking officials in the government taking advantage of their power and loopholes in the system to favour their own people and ordinary people like us are left to suffer with no one and nowhere to go for help.

Look at the injustice to students studying abroad for an example. In developed countries like UK there are Maldivian students studying under various scholarship schemes and among them are so called "privileged students" receiving money as special favour packages from the government on top of their living allowance just because they are relatives or very close to a Minister or a high ranking official in the government. On the other hand there are students returning home unable to cope with the hardship in some third world countries and with no government help or support at all. These students are facing their career ruined and had to decide their own fate and future. Why this special favour for only some people? Where is the equality and fairness? Is this the best way to distribute our wealth? As a fact, there are many privileged students in UK who have received more than MRf 500,000 (0.5 million rufiyya) each as special favour package on top of their stipend.

Therefore, with the education fund, I won’t be surprised to see Minister's and high ranking official's family members, relatives and friends again embarking to achieve higher education in developed countries like UK, Australia, Canada, USA and ordinary people will be left to suffer. I think we, ordinary Maldivians had enough of injustice and its time for the government to be fair and equal when dealing with issues like this, especially education where people have equal right for it. Ministers and high ranking officials who abuse the system for their own greed must he made accountable and tried in courts for their wrongdoings. It is time to bring long awaited justice to us ordinary Maldivians and treat all of us fairly and equally. Then only we can start believing and trusting on this government. Otherwise it is going to be too late.