Islamic University of Maldives (IUM) is conducting a higher education program for Members of Parliament at the initiative of the People's National Congress (PNC) parliamentary group, said Majority Leader Ibrahim Falah today.
He added that the course fees will be paid by the MPs themselves.
On Monday, the parliament announced that it had signed an agreement with IUM to offer an advanced certificate course in Sharia and Law for MPs. The announcement was met with criticism, as some members of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) claimed they were not given the opportunity to participate in the course.
When questioned by Mihaaru News, PNC parliamentary group leader Falah said that the course fees and related expenses would not be covered by the Parliament Secretariat.
"It will be paid directly by the members themselves. The purpose of this course is to enhance their understanding of constituency issues, as they are legislators. They will gain valuable knowledge from this program," Falah said.
He also noted that some participants already hold master's degrees, however in other fields.
A PNC parliamentary group official stated that 26 members from the group will be taking part in the program. Among them, eight will complete an advanced certificate course, while the remaining 18 will pursue a bachelor's degree in law.
"The eight members are taking the advanced certificate course because, according to MQA regulations, they must complete a Level 4 certificate course before enrolling in a bachelor's degree. This is a standard requirement and no special exceptions have been made for MPs," the official said.
Parliament Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla will also be pursuing a bachelor's degree under this program.
"The members want to deepen their knowledge in Sharia and Law. They believe laws should be drafted in accordance with Islamic principles, and studying this field will help them achieve that," the official added.
On Monday, the MPs and parliament officials taking part in the course held a meeting with IUM representatives. Speaker Abdul Raheem stated that the objective of the program is to ensure the 20th Parliament consists of highly educated and capable members.