The Ministry of Higher Education, Labor and Skills Development signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on Monday with Maldives National University (MNU), and Islamic University of Maldives (IUM) to train Maldivians in foreign language communication skills.
The initiative focuses on teaching languages spoken in countries that bring the highest number of tourists to the Maldives.
The Ministry of Higher Education stated that the tourism sector plays a vital role in driving economic growth and creating job opportunities for the country.
The ministry noted that the Maldives receives a large number of tourists annually, many of whom communicate in Mandarin, Arabic, French, German, Russian, Korean, Japanese, and Italian.
Higher Education Minister Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed flanked by Vice-Chancellor of MNU Dr. Aishath Shehenaz Adam (R), and Vice-Chancellor of IUM Dr. Ali Zahir bin Saeed Gasim (L) at the MoU signing ceremony to train Maldivians in tourist-friendly languages, October 13, 2025. (Photo/Ministry of Higher Education)
While many Maldivians are employed in the tourism sector, one of the biggest challenges is the lack of properly trained staff to communicate in foreign languages, the ministry said. Bridging this communication gap will improve service quality and enhance the tourism experience.
The ministry added that learning foreign languages will facilitate employment and career advancement for Maldivian workers. Therefore, it is essential to teach basic communication skills in these languages.
The tuition fees for students participating in the training program will be arranged by the Ministry of Higher Education. The initiative is part of a key government manifesto promise.
The program targets current tourism sector employees and those interested in entering the field.
Tourists at the Velana International Airport on October 11, 2025. (Photo/Velana International Airport)
Languages and the number of students to be trained:
Mandarin – 200  
French – 50  
German – 50  
Japanese – 50  
Arabic – 50  
Italian – 25  
The Maldives received two million tourists last year, and the government aims to attract 2.3 million tourists this year. So far in 2025, 1.7 million tourists have arrived, mostly from China.
Top six tourist source countries:
China: 280,416  
Russia: 209,047  
United Kingdom: 150,040  
Germany: 122,091  
Italy: 115,383  
India: 98,656