Abstract
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore educational policy directions in the Maldives to continue learning in public schools during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and identify policy changes that could improve the preparedness of the schools for future pandemics.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study is descriptive in nature with an analytical methodology of document and interview data analysis. The purposively selected participants for the interviews included senior officials of the Ministry of Education, school leaders and teachers of public schools in the Maldives.FindingsThis study identified significant policy changes for public schools in the Maldives during the COVID-19 pandemic. These were early response and timely policy directions to continue education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another finding was the effective change communication of the educational policies for its implementation. Following the policy changes, the teachers were trained for online teaching, hence increasing their competency in information and communications technology. As a result, this led to resilient teachers who were determined to provide education through the challenging times of the pandemic. Hence, it is evident that the school system of the Maldives will emerge stronger beyond COVID-19.Originality/valueThe education policy changes for public schools in the Maldives during the global COVID-19 pandemic have merits for education practices beyond the pandemic.
Highlights
The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic brought schools in the Maldives to an abrupt halt
Exploring educational policy directions in the Maldives to continue learning in public schools during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to identify policy changes that could improve the preparedness of the schools for future pandemics
The developed policies and circulars to continue education during the COVID-19 pandemic and the new normal were Circular 22-E/CIR/2020/28 to all the schools to ensure education continuity during the state of public health emergency, Circular 22-E/CIR/2020/35 with detailed instructions on the teaching and learning arrangements for the lockdown period and informing the schools to continue learning during the lockdown, Circular 22-E/CIR/2020/37 to all the schools on learning arrangements for the school reopening, Circular 22-E/CIR/2020/38 to all the schools with a detailed standard operating policy (SOP) on using face masks in schools to ensure the health safety of students and staff, and Circular 22-E/CIR/2020/43 that outlined the assessment guidelines
Summary
The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic brought schools in the Maldives to an abrupt halt. As the Maldives is an archipelago of 1,190 islands, it has challenges in providing resources and facilities for education. Learning continuity requires a well-formulated response plan for uniformity in continuing education. This study explored changes in educational policies in public schools in the Maldives during the COVID-19 pandemic and analyzed which of the policy changes can benefit the schools beyond the pandemic. Several timely and comprehensive guidelines on education policy responses for the COVID-19 pandemic and the re-opening of schools were developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO), and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) (Carvalho, Rossiter, Angrist, Hares & Silverman, 2020).
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