Faafu Atoll Education Centre nominated for $150,000 dollar prize
Faafu Atoll Education Centre has been nominated alongside a school from Pakistan to represent the South Asia region.
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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has recognised the efforts of the Faafu Atoll Education Centre by nominating it for the 2025 Zayed Sustainability Prize in the Global High School category.
This annual award, established in memory of the UAE’s founding , Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, aims to honour projects that contribute to sustainable energy, water, food, health, and education.
The total prize amount for outstanding projects in these categories is $150,000 (MVR 2.3 million).
Over the years, the prize has celebrated many initiatives that align with sustainable development goals, including past winners from the Maldives like Addu High School and Hiraa School.
Faafu Atoll Education Centre, competing with 18 other schools worldwide in the Global High School category, has presented a project aimed at fully converting the school to renewable energy.
Principal Abdulla Ahmed shared the school’s ambitious plan to install solar panels across the campus, ensuring the entire school runs on solar energy.
“We learned that Addu High School previously won the Zayed Sustainability Prize with a similar project. Their school now operates entirely on solar energy, which inspired us to submit this proposal,” Abdulla explained.
Currently, the Faafu Atoll Education Centre spends over MVR 100,000 each month on electricity. With the installation of solar panels, the school expects to not only eliminate this expense but also generate excess power. This surplus energy could be fed into the Fenaka Corporation’s grid, creating a new income stream for the school.
“If we connect our solar-generated electricity to Fenaka’s feed, we can generate income,” said Abdulla.
“With that income, we will even be able to install air conditioning throughout the school.”
The Global High School category of the Zayed Sustainability Prize is divided into six regions, with one school from each region being selected as a winner. Faafu Atoll Education Centre has been nominated alongside a school from Pakistan to represent the South Asia region.
“The potential impact of winning this award would be transformative,” Abdulla stated.
“It would not only help us become sustainable but also significantly ease the financial burden on the Ministry of Education.”
The winners of the 2025 Zayed Sustainability Prize will be announced during a ceremony in Abu Dhabi on January 14. Faafu Atoll Education Centre’s principal and two A-level students have already received invitations to attend the event, where they hope to see their vision for renewable energy come to life.
"If we win this award, we can achieve our dream. I am hopeful,” Abdulla said.
