Government Defends Education Minister

Press Secretary Zuhair has defended Education Minister Dr Musthafa Luthfee and criticized the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party of trying to destabilize the government and the country, after opposition MPs proposed a no confidence motion against the Education Minister on Monday.

“This is a part of the DRP plan to pick off ministers one-by-one. First they plan to try and bring down the education minister, if that succeeds they will then go after other ministers. This no-confidence motion is a shallow attempt to destabilize the government and the country,” said Press Secretary Zuhair.

The DRP is claiming the government is trying to ‘undermine Islam,’ because an Education Ministry has floated the idea of making the study of Dhivehi and Islam, along with all other subjects, optional for school grades 11 and 12.

The proposal to make Dhivehi and Islam optional for grades 11 and 12 was made during the national symposium on curriculum reform held in September last year.

Ministry of Education says the issue is under consideration and open for public debate and no decision has been made on whether to make the subjects compulsory or optional for students.

Press Secretary Zuhair categorically rejected the accusations put forward by the opposition. “This government will always stand for Islam and will always defend and uphold our religion,” he said. 

“There is no substance to what the DRP is saying. Once again, the opposition is trying to use Islam as a political tool,” Zuhair added.

“DRP, led by its dubiously elected leader Thasmeen Ali, has demonstrated time and again that they will do and say anything to try and damage the government”, Zuhair said.

“There are some good, intelligent and responsible people in the DRP. Sadly, under the current leadership, these people have been marginalized and the hot heads have taken over the party.

“The DRP have no policies; they have no vision; they have no substance. It seems that the DRP’s sole guiding principle is to oppose anything and everything that the government is trying to achieve.”