The Minister of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development, Dr Ali Haidar Ahmed, has announced the launch of a dedicated student information portal, scheduled for October.

The platform is intended to streamline communication and ensure faster, more efficient responses for students pursuing higher education.

Minister Dr Haidar made a written response to a question raised by MP Ahmed Azaan Marzooq regarding the challenges faced by students studying abroad. In his statement, the Minister identified incomplete or inaccurate documentation as a primary cause of delays in fund disbursements, particularly the submission of incorrect foreign bank account details, which has frequently hindered the timely deposit of stipends. His reply was presented during today’s parliamentary session.

Under current procedures, scholarship recipients are entitled to receive a two-month stipend in US dollars upon notifying the Ministry of their intended departure date. Once they arrive in their host country, students must open a local bank account in their own name and submit the relevant details to the Ministry. Subsequent stipends are disbursed biannually, subject to confirmation of continued enrolment from the university.

However, delays often arise when students submit incomplete or incorrect banking information. In such instances, the Ministry must coordinate with both the student and the respective university to resolve the issue. To mitigate these problems, the Ministry is in the process of developing a standardised information sheet to assist students in providing accurate and complete banking details.

Dr Haidar also addressed concerns regarding tuition fee payments. He clarified that such payments are only processed upon receipt of an official invoice from the relevant university. Efforts are ongoing to strengthen coordination with higher education institutions to help avoid future delays.

On the subject of educational loans, the Minister noted that processing delays are often caused by the submission of inadequate documentation such as admission letters that do not confirm active enrolment. He emphasised the importance of students submitting formal proof of enrolment to ensure the timely disbursement of loan funds.

Minister Dr Haidar attributed many of the delays to a significant increase in the number of students being served by the Ministry. The scholarship, loan, and free degree programme divisions reportedly receive more than 600 emails and letters each day. This surge in communication, coupled with the growing number of students benefitting from financial support, has placed considerable pressure on Ministry personnel.

He further noted that staff are frequently asked to expedite disbursements ahead of scheduled timelines, thereby compounding their workload.

Despite these operational challenges, Minister Dr Haidar reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting students, disclosing that over MVR 1.5 million was disbursed in the past year. While the Ministry previously aimed to respond to all correspondence within seven days, it now seeks to reduce this response time to a maximum of three days.