Students Call Protest Outside Higher Education Ministry Over Unpaid Stipends

Maldivian higher education students are planning a protest on December 30, calling on the government to immediately release long-delayed student stipends, according to mobilisation posts circulating X.

The protest is scheduled to take place from 10:00am to 2:00pm in Hulhumalé, outside the Ministry of Higher Education, under the slogan #PayTheStudents. The demonstration is aimed at drawing attention to months-long delays in stipend payments that many students rely on for basic living expenses.

In a widely shared poster, students say they are initiating the protest on behalf of those “not receiving their stipends from the government,” a problem that has affected both local and overseas students. Several students studying abroad have previously warned that delayed payments have left them struggling to pay rent, tuition fees and daily costs.

The planned protest comes amid growing public frustration over governance and accountability issues, with youth-led activism becoming more visible in recent months. While the Higher Education Ministry has acknowledged payment delays in the past, students say the problem remains unresolved and communication has been inadequate.

The protest is expected to test how the government responds to mounting pressure from students, a group that has increasingly taken to public platforms to voice concerns over policy decisions and administrative failures.