Hulhumalé Phase 2 school completion by Nov, minister says

The construction of a new 54-classroom school in Hulhumalé Phase II will be completed by November this year, Education Minister Dr Ismail Shafeeu said Monday in Parliament.

The announcement was made in response to a question from Galolhu North MP Mohamed Ibrahim, who asked when a long-term solution would be implemented for students from Hulhumalé Phase II who continue to travel to Malé for schooling.

Minister Shafeeu stated that while urban development efforts in the area have prioritised housing projects, associated services such as schools had not been sufficiently addressed. He cited the example of seven shelter towers in Hulhumalé Phase II, completed around five years ago, without corresponding educational infrastructure.

He noted that while Solahuddin School was built, it was initially operating on a single session. The Ministry later converted it into a two-session school to ease the strain caused by daily student travel across the bridge.

The new school in Hulhumalé Phase II is located in the Hiyaa flats area and is expected to reduce the need for students to travel to Malé, according to the Minister.

He also confirmed that the government plans to begin construction of two additional schools within the year—one in Hulhumalé Phase I and another in Phase II. He highlighted the lack of nearby schools for residents of SIFCO, POLCO, and Apollo towers in Phase I.

The Ministry of Education has previously stated that demand for school placements in Hulhumalé exceeds that in Malé. The Ministry also noted that students relocating from other parts of the country often seek to enrol in schools in Hulhumalé.