A total of 24 students have been awarded Zakat scholarships to pursue higher education in the Maldives and overseas through the Maldives Zakat Fund.

Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef presented the awards at a ceremony held at the Islamic Centre, held after a gap of seven years. He handed letters of appreciation to the students who received Zakat Fund scholarships, as well as those granted special scholarships in Islamic fields.

The distribution of scholarships is being carried out in two phases this year. Seventeen students have been awarded full scholarships from the Zakat Fund to study Islamic subjects, while a further seven students have received special scholarships.

During the ceremony, the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, stated that the second round of recipients would be announced soon. He noted that this year represents the first occasion on which such a large number of scholarships have been provided for higher education in Islamic studies.

Applications for the scholarships opened in April and closed on 29 May. In total, the Zakat Fund has made 50 opportunities available for higher education both within the Maldives and abroad. Of these, 20 are for studies in the Maldives and 30 overseas. Students will pursue their studies in Malaysia, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and other SAARC countries, with 17 students taking up places in institutions in Malaysia and Brunei.

The last scholarships offered by the Zakat Fund were awarded in 2018.