Report: Ayya
President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Monday night said that increasing levels of education and awareness in the Maldives had played a key role in the remarkable progress the country had attained in recent decades.
According to President’s Office, in his address at the celebration to launch Teacher Resource Centres in all 20 Atolls of the Maldives, the President emphasized the intrinsic link between fulfilling national development aspirations and building human resources capacity.
Gayoom said: “Ours is a country that is hungry for success. The people are ready to strive for greater heights of development. The Government is fully committed to facilitating and encouraging the people to realize this dream.”
At the ceremony, the President officially launched Teacher Resource Centres in 20 Atolls. The TRCs were established under a project funded by UNICEF. The project was implemented through the collaborative efforts of the Educational Development Centre of the Ministry of Education and UNICEF Maldives. In addition to the 20 TRCs, the teacher resource website of EDC was also launched at last night’s ceremony. The website was launched by the Minister of Education, Zahiya Zareer.
In his address, the President spoke on the remarkable development of the education sector of the Maldives, over the past three decades. He recalled the standards of education in the country when he assumed presidential office in 1978.
The President said that the establishment of Teacher Resource Centers was the culmination of three important programs in the country’s education sector, namely the Universal Primary Education project from 1978 to 2000, the Basic Education Program that began in 1980 and the Student Computer Literacy Program that began in 1998. He also highlighted that the Government had also implemented many teacher-training projects over the years.
He noted that the country’s functional literacy rate was today at over 98%, which was the highest in South Asia and on par with the best in the world. He pointed out that there were now over 5,700 teachers serving in the Maldives, and that two-thirds of them were Maldivians.
In his address, the President said that the current priority of the Government was to train more Maldivian teachers, and noted that the Teacher Resource Centers would give teachers the opportunity to receive in-service training and refresher courses in modern teaching techniques. He stressed that the most appealing characteristic of the new EDC teacher resource website and the TRCs was their utilization of modern technology as an education tool, particularly the use of Broadband Internet connectivity to make learning interactive.
The President also highlighted the high priority that Islam attached to education. He noted that the very first verses of the Noble Quran to be revealed to the Holy Prophet were testimony to that. He also emphasized that the Holy Prophet had also highlighted the importance and wisdom of people of learning.
The Minister of Education, Zahiya Zareer, the UNICEF Representative in the Maldives, Ken Maskell and the CEO of Dhiraagu, Ismail Rasheed also spoke at the function.
Minister Zahiya Zareer spoke on the development of the country’s education sector, and noted that the establishment of the 20 TRCs was a milestone event for the sector.
Maskell assured that UNICEF would continue its assistance towards the Maldives. He also announced that UNICEF would provide the funding for the establishment of a further 100 TRCs in the Maldives.
Ismail Rasheed said that Dhiraagu was proud to be the technology partner of the important project, and said that the Company was granting a substantial discount to the TRCs for a period of five years, as part of its corporate responsibility policy.
The welcome remarks at the function were delivered by the Director General at the EDC, Dr. Sheema Saeed, and the vote-of-thanks was presented by the Assistant Director General at the Centre, Dr. Nashiya Mohamed. They thanked President Gayoom for finding time from his schedule to attend the function.
Representatives of all 20 TRCs also delivered messages at the function, from their respective schools, through MSN Broadband Internet connectivity.
A video message by the Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, Hilde Frafjord Johnson was aired at the function. She congratulated the Maldives on the establishment of the TRCs and noted the importance that the people attached to the development of education in the country.
A brief video documentary on the TRCs was also aired.
Main opposition MDP’s Chairperson Mohamed Nasheed, Anni, has said that his immediate priority is on forming a transitional government to prepare his party for the presidential election next year. 
Former Attorney General Dr. Hassan Saeed has said that he will notify international agencies regarding Legal Reform Minister Nasheed’s proposed amendment to Bill on President, barring Maldivians with foreign spouses from the presidency. He made statement at a press conference held at Rajje Chambers on the 25 of this month.
Speaking at the summit of the heads of state of commonwealth countries, Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid has called on for more assistance and support for the developing island states of the commonwealth.
The 3 terror suspects whose initial court hearing held on the 20 of this month had confessed to their crimes in court yesterday.
Adhaalth Party has submitted amendments to the remaining chapters of the constitution that has not been passed by the Majlis. Adhaaltath Party says the amendments were reached after intensive discussions among the members of the committee formed by Adhaalath to offer religious advice to Special Majlis in the amendment process of the constitution. Leading civil societies and other leading scholars of the country were also consulted.
Ministry of Gender and Family has revealed that that a campaign to eliminate all sorts of violence against women has commenced yesterday. The campaign dubbed white ribbon enlists the participation of men more than any other program held for the elimination of violence against women, will be held for period of 16 days in all the inhabited islands of the Maldives. The whit ribbon campaign is held as part of the programs held by the Gender Ministry to mark the International Day for the elimination of violence against women. The day is marked on the 25 of November each year.
Mohamed Hussain Shareef, Mundhu, has issued a press release rejecting the comments made by Ex Attorney General Dr. Hassan Saeed at a press conference held yesterday.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid, has urged on Commonwealth Member States to take a tough stance on global warming ahead of next month’s crucial climate change Conference in Bali, Indonesia. Minister Shahid especially impressed upon Commonwealth leaders the importance of deep and absolute emission reductions and binding international commitments.
Minister of Legal Reform Information and Arts Mohamed Nasheed has said that his amendment proposed to bar any Maldivian with a foreign spouse from competing for the presidency was not proposed with specific intention of preventing Dr. Hassan Saeed from running for the presidency. Minister Nasheed further said that he has no wish to impose any constitutional barrier to prevent Dr. Hassan Saeed from competing in the elections.
The first court hearing of 2 additional terror suspects was held in criminal court yesterday morning. The 2 terror suspects brought to court were Moosa Fazeel age 28 of Ribudhoo of Dhaalu Atoll and Mohamed Hussain age 32 of Seenu Hithadhoo.
Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA, United Nations Fund for Populations Activities, has said that violence against women is still ongoing in spite of the many on going campaigns held for the elimination of such acts.
Carrier diplomat Kamlesh Sharma has been chosen as the new Commonwealth Secretary General.
Former Attorney General Dr. Hassan Saeed says Gayyoom if ever wins the upcoming presidential election could only do so by using all state institutions on his own accord and will. 
The first group from Maldives traveling to Mecca to perform this year’s hajj rituals will depart on the 26 of this month.
MP for Male’ Mohamed Shihab has said that Anti Corruption Board, ACB, is an institution formed by the government to hide the corrupt acts of government officials. He made the comment, speaking at the debate time opened to discuss the report on the ACB and the Board’s activities, prepared the by the Internal affairs Committee of the Special Majlis.
Ministry of Education and UNICEF will celebrate the inauguration of 20 Teacher Resource Centers, TRC, across the Maldives on 26 November 2007.
The main opposition party, MDP has said that the Bill on Acquiring and Receiving Information that was considered by the Majlis at the eleventh sitting of the third session held on the 14 of this month was not accepted due to a series of steps taken By President Gayoom aimed at preventing the Bill getting passed.
Minister of Legal Reform Information and Arts Mohamed Nasheed has said that if the MP Fathin Hameed, President’s Member had made vulgar gestures at member of the press she should apologize.
Maldives Police has revealed that an additional improvised explosive device, IED, was made along with the one detonated on the 29 of September at Sultan Park. The statement was made at press briefing held at the main headquarters of Police yesterday afternoon.
Adhaalath Party has held discussions with Justice Ministry officials yesterday. The discussions were on the issue of wearing face veil which is banned by the recently introduced dress code to be used when attending court sessions or inside the Justice Ministry.
security for the people who are in government service or who has retired from government service as well as to the elderly.
Government has presented the annual awards for outstanding service to the public, the special awards for achieving distinctions for the country abroad, and the special prizes for producing Dhivehi literary works for children to Government-approved standards, at the official function, held last night at Dharubaaruge, to mark this year’s Republic Day. The awards and prizes were presented to recipients by the President.
Following the arrests of the extremists group at the island of Himandhoo in Alif Alif Atoll, a previously unknown group known as “the Media Section of Ansar Al Mujahideen” has posted a trailer video on a well-known Internet forum associated with al-Qaeda. The trailer promotes an upcoming video package called “Your Brothers in Maldives are Calling You!” The trailer lasts 1 minute and 49 seconds and features clips recorded inside a makeshift mosque during the October 6, 2007, standoff between an extremist breakaway group of Himandhuans and the police.
Maldives Social Liberal Party has filed a lawsuit against the Registrar of Political Parties as well as the Commissioner of Elections K.D Ahmed Manik. Liberal Party claims that the Registrar has violated the regulations on the registrations of political parties by obstructing the registration of that party. Liberal party has filed the lawsuit at high court.