Education During the Period of British Protectorate

Unlike many of its Indian Ocean neighbours, Maldives was never physically colonised by Europeans before Addu's temporary occupation by the UK airforce and navy. Though the Portuguese and the Dutch did not do anything to support the educational level of the Maldivians during their period of strong control on the country, the British supported substantially to improve the education and health of the people around their naval base until they closed Addu Atoll Gan base in 1976.
Formal support of the British for education certainly existed. Moreover, many of the people of Addu and nearby atolls gained knowledge and fluency in English language during that period. This was a driving force for the people of Addu to progress besides the wealth some of them had acquired due to presence of the British.
The famous rebellion movement, formation of ‘Suvadive republic’ by three southern atolls of Maldives under the leadership of Afeef was the result of progress in wealth , health and education in that region during British period and further the long existed suppression of progress of people of that region by central government. The movement was suppressed by the Male’ government.
Soon after the British left once again Addu had to follow the long existing culture of depending on Male’. However, the people of Addu gained momentum in the field of business right after that.