MALE, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has announced his government will offer a free education scheme for students pursuing bachelors degree in the country in order to boost the higher education system, local media reported Friday.
Students at the state-run Maldives National University and Islamic University of Maldives will no longer have to pay their tuition fees, while a very high percentage will be paid by the state for students pursuing degrees in private colleges, Solih said at the launch of the free education system held in Male.
The president urged students to make use of the "golden opportunity."
Solih's government has allocated 220 million U.S. dollars for the education sector in 2019, the highest in the country's history.
Solih stressed the importance of creating a generation of educated youth to ensure national development.
While 8,000 students are presently enrolled at the two state-run universities and private colleges, the government estimates the number will grow to 10,000 due to the free education scheme.
