President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih stated on Sunday, October 23, that the administration’s efforts to address youth-centric issues are yielding positive results.
He made the statement while speaking at the official function held at the Maldives Center for Social Education (MCSE) to mark the National Youth day.
The function was attended by Maldives First Lady Ms. Fazna Ahmed, Vice President Faisal Naseem, cabinet ministers and senior officials from sports associations.
While speaking at the function, President Solih highlighted a research paper titled “Disengagement of Maldivian Youth” published by the Maldives National University (MNU). He made emphasis for the critical requirement of a holistic approach to address the prevalence of substance abuse, gang violence and crimes among youths.
He also spoke about the strategic inter-agency collaborations led by the current administration to combat these issues. He also notes the lack of higher education opportunities and jobs as factors that drive young people towards criminal activities.
President Solih further stated that the administration’s initiatives including the “Free Education Scheme for Degree Students”, apprenticeship programs and job creation through state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are producing positive outcomes. He also stressed the administration’s efforts to address mental health issues and illnesses, especially among the youth.
At the function, President Solih awarded this year’s Youth Awards to the winning recipients. Ten individuals received the award this year.
Moreover, Vice President Faisal Naseem launched MNU’s research paper on the state of the nation’s youth, while a summary report was presented by Dr. Aishath Shehnaz, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of MNU.
Maldives celebrates the National Youth Day on October 22, which was first designated in 2020.