Sunday
22nd Dec 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem. | Photo: Ministry of Islamic Affairs
The Islamic Minister said that the government has decided to open up educational opportunities and scholarships for imams in various countries to increase their intellectual capacities.
Speaking at the inauguration of this year's national project to refresh imams, the Minister said the program aims to make Maldivian imams academically competent and taught through appropriate scholars.
The nine-subject refresher program will provide imams with much more comprehensive information than they receive at the diploma level, he said.
In addition to the refresher programs, the Minister said the aim is to provide educational opportunities to Maldivian imams abroad. Former President Abdullah Yameen’s government had also sent Maldivian imams abroad for educational opportunities, though this was not continued during President Solih’s administration.
"We want imams to complete training abroad. We have already sent some overseas. This time the training programs will go to Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Brunei and Indonesia. We will send imams to all these countries," he said.
The minister also said that the opportunity has been created to send Maldivian imams to strong Islamic universities in Thailand and a special institute in Morocco.
In addition, scholarships will be provided to imams who are interested in studying for a master's degree and if they have completed a master's degree, scholarship opportunities will be provided for them to study for a PhD, he said.
"When you do a course, it doesn't have to be an Imam degree course. It's enough to be an Islamic course, or a Sharia-related course," he said.
The scholarships will be available in fields related to the science of Imamate, the minister said. The Masters program is open to those who have not previously completed a Masters. However, the minister did not give an exact date for the scholarships.
The minister said the Islamic Ministry has included it in its strategic plan for this year and the ministry will give all its cooperation to make this year a green year for Maldivian imams.