Nineteen students have received Zakat Scholarships for higher education in the Maldives and abroad, awarded by the Zakat Fund of the Maldives.
After a seven-year hiatus, the scholarships were presented at a special ceremony held at the Islamic Centre. Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef presented certificates to the recipients of both scholarships and special scholarships in Islamic fields.
This year, the Zakat Scholarships are being awarded in two rounds. In the first round, 17 students received full scholarships for higher education in Islamic fields, while special scholarships were awarded to seven students.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed said the students selected for the Zakat Scholarship under the second round will be presented with their scholarships very soon. The Minister said that this is the first time that such a large number of scholarships have been granted for Islamic studies.
The opportunity to apply for scholarships to pursue higher education in the Maldives and abroad through the Zakat Fund was opened last April, with the deadline for application expiring on 29 May. The Zakat Fund offered 50 scholarships in total, with 20 allocated for study in the Maldives, and 30 abroad. The countries opened for study abroad were Malaysia, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and SAARC countries, and 17 opportunities were opened for study specifically in Malaysia and Brunei.
The Zakat Fund last awarded scholarships in 2018.