Beginning of Formal Schooling in the Maldives

The first formal school in Maldives was Majeediyya school founded on April 19, 1927, by Sultan Muhammad Shamsuddeen III on the counsel of Sheik Ibrahim Rushdee and Sheik Husain Salaahuddin.
Majeediyya School was started under the name Madharusathul Salahiyya, at Fadiyaaruge residence, with 69 students. Due to lack of space, the school was soon relocated. The school name was changed to Madhrasathul Saniyyathul Hukoomathul Mahaldheebiyya (commonly referred to as Madhrasathul Saniyya) along with this relocation, in 1928. Sheik Husain Salaahuddin was the first principal of the school and one of the first teachers of Majeedhiyya School included Sheikh Ibrahim Rushdil Azharee.
Though it is now a single-gender school, this was not so in the beginning. Madhrasathul Saniyya, from the start, accommodated students of both genders. After 17 years, the need for a separate girls' school was felt. A new school, Aminiyya School, was established, by the Government, for girls in 1944.
This is the picture of beginning of formal schooling given by most written documents. Though the picture seem colourful it was not so colourful as most of the young people of today can imagine. Though schooling was started formally subjects such as Dhivehi Language(Local Language), Islam(fighu), Arabic and dhivehi writing were taught. For the that time it was sufficient as it was just the beginning.
The first president of Maldives Mohamed AminDidi (July 20, 1910 - January 19, 1954)was a total reformer. He was the pioneer of education for women and women empowerment in Maldives.
He introduced atoll schools to education system providing the light of education for the first time for people of islands other than the capital Male’. Further he traveled throughout Maldives and sent people and selected one girl and boy from each island to educate in Male’. These children brought from other islands to Male’ were kept in homes of well-to-do people in Male’.
The atoll schools he designed provided boarding facility as well. Only boys were taken from different islands to these boarding schools. These students were taught Islam(Fighu),Dhivehi Language, English Language, Urdu Language as subjects and they were taken care extremely well providing everything necessary totally free for them. This lasted for a short period as Mohamed Ameen Didi was deposed about seven months after he became president. However, he served progress of the country for a considerable period in different posts. Along with his end the atoll system also came to a halt for some time. “A person named Saeed Saeed came from Male’ to tell us that the school will be closed and we have to go home as government would not be able to spend on us”, said Mohamed Hussain, former student of Thiladhunmathi Atoll Madharusaa
I believe that opposition of Amin Didi and end of the school system occurred as people were frustrated due to difficult conditions the country faced as a result of aftermath of the second world war. Some of the dominant schools in atolls like Madharusathul Ifthithaah in Lhaviyani,Naifaru, continued their education. Some citizens of islands took initiative to establish and continue schooling.
Though schooling was brought to an end by government in atolls ,it was continued in capital Male’ for those who were privileged. Since then until now less amount of attention had been given to education in atolls compared to schools in Male’ for various reasons, though schooling in all the islands began when Maumoon Abdul Gayoom took office as president.