The current payment system for teachers, as stated by Education Minister Dr. Ismail Shafeeu, has led to a situation where some teachers holding master's degrees are paid less than those with bachelor's degrees. The minister mentioned that the ministry is currently examining this system.

These comments were made by Shafeeu at a session of the People's Majlis on Tuesday, in response to a query from Mauroof Zakir, a member of Parliament from Kendhoo representing the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Mauroof highlighted that, as per the previous government's policy on aligning teacher salaries, teachers who acquired a master's degree after the implementation of the system had to wait for four years before receiving the corresponding certification allowance. He inquired about when those teachers who completed their master's degrees under this policy would start receiving the allowance, pointing out that those who obtained the degree before the policy alteration were already receiving it.

In response, Shafeeu stated that the ministry had engaged with over 15,000 teachers in Malé and the islands, and many had expressed concerns about the current payment structure. He mentioned that collaborative efforts with teachers and school principals are underway to reassess the system and tackle the issues.

Shafeeu assured teachers that the problems would be addressed through an active review procedure carried out in close partnership with educators and principals. He highlighted that the current system mandates a four-year waiting period for teachers to qualify for promotion after obtaining a master's degree.

While acknowledging that step promotions due during this period had been granted, transitioning teachers to the master's degree scale under the current system would lead to a decrease in salary since the previous promotions were given based on the bachelor's degree salary scale.

Shafeeu emphasized the necessity to resolve this discrepancy, attributing the issue to the original design of the payment framework. Teacher salaries and allowances were revamped in 2022 during the presidency of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, with monthly salaries for teachers ranging from MVR 12,000 to MVR 24,000, excluding subsequent adjustments.