COUNTRY REPORT: MALDIVES

Prepared by: 

Abdul Hannan Waheed
 Assistant Director,
Maldives Accreditation Board, Male', Maldives

 

INTRODUCTION

The official accrediting agency of Maldives is Maldives Accreditation Board (MAB). This board was formed by the president of Maldives in 2000, and this was informed by a letter from the President's Office to the Ministry of Education on 18th August 2000. Before the formation of the MAB, the accreditation process was carried out by the Department of Public Examinations (DPE), though it was not done in a large scale as it is carried out by the MAB today.

MAB has introduced the Maldives National Qualifications Framework (MNQF), which is designed to:

1. facilitate the development of quality assurance mechanism for the post-secondary education sector;
   
   
2. provide a framework for recognition of qualifications offered in the Maldives and abroad.

The main objective of MNQF is to provide learners, employers, and education provides with qualifications that are nationally standardized and quality assured.

Higher education in Maldives is provided by the Maldives College of Higher Education (MCHE), College of Islamic Studies (CIS), Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) and a number of private institutions. Many students pursue higher education and training overseas. The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), is the government agency responsible for facilitating the growth of higher education and training and to provide policy and logistical guidance to the sector in Maldives.

Maldives College of Higher Education (MCHE) is the only degree-granting institution. MCHE currently offers 5 certificate programs, 11 advanced certificate programmes, 10 diploma programs, 4 advanced diploma programs, and 6 degree programs. Its faculties include: Health Sciences, Hospitality and Tourism, Management and Computing, Engineering Technology, and Marine Studies. MCHE is governed by a College Council. Presently, about 4,000 students are enrolled in MCHE's long-term courses, i.e. courses that are up to or longer than one-academic year. About 2,000 students are enrolled in short-term courses.

College of Islamic Studies (CIS), former Institute of Islamic Studies, offers 4 certificate programs, 4 diploma programs and 1 advanced diploma programs to a student population of about 300 full-time students in these programmes.

Centre for Continuing Education (CCE), former Non-Formal Education Centre, focuses mainly on providing technical, vocational and continuing education. CCE offers 28 certificate programs, to a student population of about 300 full-time students and coordinates the teaching in the Technical and Vocational Stream at secondary schools across the country.

Private sector participation in higher and continuing education is growing. Eighty-six private institutions are registered with the Government to date. Many of them offer certificate and diploma level programs in computer studies, information technology, management, and business studies. 145 short and long-term certificate and diploma level programs conducted by such institutions were registered in 2005. It is estimated that about 3000 students would be enrolled with such private institutions at any given time.

It is estimated that 1000 to 1500 Maldivian students are pursuing diplomas, degrees and graduate qualifications abroad at any given time. This number is significant in consideration of the country's small population size of 270,000. Many of them are on scholarships, while an increasing number of students are funding their own studies. The most popular study abroad destinations for Maldivians are Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, Australia and Egypt. The increasing number of students studying abroad has lead to the need to develop a policy and procedure for Government's recognition of qualifications earned abroad.

CURRENT STATUS

Recognition of qualifications awarded by higher education institutions within  Maldives

The Maldives Accreditation Board (MAB) of the DHET manages the Maldives National Qualifications Framework (MNQF). This Framework consists of 11 levels of qualifications including Certificate I, Certificate II, Certificate III, Advanced Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree and Doctoral Degree. MNQF sets out minimum entry requirements, credit hours and credit points for each of the 11 qualifications. All qualifications issued by MCHE and private institutions must fit requirements of one of the 11 qualifications of MNQF.

MNQF provides a coherent framework that facilitates quality improvement, quality assurance, and private sector participation in post-secondary education. It also ensures that students, employers, education providers and the community at large comprehend the learning outcomes involved in various qualifications. MNQF is designed to:

1. rationalize and recognize various industry, vocational and academic qualifications within a coherent system, 
   
   
2. support flexible and continuous upgrading of knowledge and skills through life-long learning, and 
   
   
3. provide a framework for private education providers to demonstrate credibility and quality.
   
   

The provider of a course of study, leading to any of these qualifications, is required to submit a course document detailing the following: credit points, entry-requirements, curricular content, qualifications of instructors and details of academic and physical facilities available for course delivery. Policies and procedures regarding examinations and assessment, granting of advanced standing (if any), student record keeping, attendance, disciplinary matters and fee payment are required to be detailed in the course document. A panel appointed by MAB would review the course document and provide the approval to commence a course of study. Following the commencement of the course of study, MAB reviews the progress of the course by a process observation, document analysis, and student and staff interview.

Theoretically, MNQF allows all qualifications to have a purpose and interrelationships. The theoretical framework is designed to provide articulation from one qualification to the other, by recognizing prior learning. MNQF is designed to provide pathways for learning.

The intended beneficiaries of MNQF include the learners, the employers, and the providers of education and training. Learners benefit by increased transferability and mobility through recognition of qualifications from various institutions and sources. Employers benefit through assurance of quality of qualifications relevant to the industry needs. Education and training providers benefit by validating the quality of their courses and certificates and by offering standards-based training for nationally recognized qualifications.

Recognition or Validation of Qualifications Offered by Institutions Abroad

Qualifications conferred by institutions abroad could be submitted to the Maldives Accreditation Board for recognition. Most candidates submit such qualifications with respect to application for Government employment and scholarships. The process is voluntary and is subject to a service fee of US$7.78. A standing panel constituted by MAB, consisting of 8 members, reviews and recommends qualifications issued abroad for validation. The MAB's "Panel for Validation of Overseas Qualifications" considers the following principles in validating such qualifications.

1. The qualification should be issued from an institution that is recognized and registered in the institution's home country.
   
   
2. The original of the qualification, including a valid transcript and any other relevant supporting documents, should be available.
   
   
3. The concerned qualification's academic-load, in terms of credit points, or the duration, in academic years, should fit that of the relevant qualification in the MNQF. 
   
   
4. The concerned qualification's entry requirement should meet the entry requirement of the corresponding qualification of the MNQF.
   

International co-operation, bilateral and multilateral Agreements

Apart from the Regional Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Asia and the Pacific, no bilateral or multilateral agreement is followed in recognition of qualifications in higher education. However, with respect to recognition of qualifications issues abroad, MAB continuously collects and updates information from institutions in countries where Maldivian students study abroad. In this regard, MAB liaises with respective accrediting bodies and national authorities. When a qualification from a previously unknown institution is submitted for validation, every effort is made to obtain detailed information regarding the institution and the concerned qualification. In this regard, MAB is developing a data-base of institutions from which Maldivian students obtain qualifications abroad.

EMERGENT ISSUES AND SUGGESTIONS RELATING TO THE RECOGNITION OF STUDIES, DIPLOMAS AND DEGREES

Recognition of overseas qualifications

Overseas qualifications validated by MAB's Panel on Validation of Overseas Qualifications in 2004 include: 73 certificates, 54 diplomas, 131 bachelors' degrees, 4 graduate diplomas, 33 Master's degrees and 2 doctoral degrees. Up to 31st March 2005, a total of 122 qualifications have been validated and 6 were rejected. Those qualifications were rejected primarily due to lack of information from institutions or due to the institution not being formally recognised in the home country.

Gathering information about institutions and their academic programs is a challenging task. The status of new institutions with respect to home-country recognition and credibility is still more difficult to clarify. An agreed protocol for sharing of accreditation information among agencies would be helpful for accreditation bodies such as MAB.

The unavailability of current information at MAB about existing validation mechanisms is also a major handicap. Therefore, regional training in this regard is suggested.

Trans-national higher education, and e-education

Validation of qualifications resulting from trans-national higher education, and e-education is an emerging issue. In the absence of an internationally-applied criterion for accreditation of e-education, MAB applies the following principle, in addition to those listed on the previous page. That is, students who undertake such courses must register their enrolment in the respective course with the Department of Public Examinations. The pertinent academic assignments and examinations of the respective course must be supervised by a person who is recognized for that purpose by the Department of Public Examinations.

Recognition of Maldivian qualifications in the Asia Pacific

The recognition of Maldivian qualifications in Asia Pacific regional countries has not emerged as a significant issue. It is so because a relatively few Maldivians, with qualifications from home institutions, have tried to obtain university placements, or transfer of academic credits, or employment, in regional countries. However, the growing number of students pursuing higher education at home, coupled with the narrowing employment market, is expected to entice Maldivians to seek work and study opportunities abroad. Therefore, international recognition of Maldivian qualifications abroad is expected to emerge as an issue in the future. Keeping this situation in sight, MAB's goal is to facilitate the development of an internationally credible post-secondary education in Maldives.

The Academic Nature of MNQF

The current MNQF is biased to fit formal academic learning and credentials. MNQF does not fully acknowledge, or provide details of how employment-oriented training programs will be accredited and laddered into the formal credentialing system. Defining of occupational competencies, standards and performance assessment criteria is complex, because such definitions do not readily align with excellence in academia. Therefore, MAB is working towards developing an internationally-recognizable criterion for accrediting employment-oriented training.