During a press conference at the President’s Office, Dr. Maryam Mariya, the Minister of Higher Education, Labor, and Skills Development, announced that over MVR 473 million has been allocated as loans to students pursuing higher education this year.

She noted that loans previously withheld by the former government are also being granted now.

The minister assured that if a student's education is interrupted due to delays in loan disbursement, the ministry will coordinate with the student’s institution to resolve the issue.

She also highlighted that some students are not submitting the necessary documents when applying for loans.

To streamline the process, Dr. Mariya mentioned that efforts are underway to simplify the loan application procedure, including the improvements in the online application system.

At the press conference, the minister noted challenges in managing recent inquiries about loans.

She observed a rise in the number of people reaching out to the ministry for various student-related issues.

The minister explained that there are specific rules and regulations governing the issuance of loans, which sometimes lead to delays as these factors must be taken into account.

Additionally, the Higher Education Ministry has allocated over MVR 103 million for scholarships this year.