Education Ministry Settles Majority of Unpaid Bills, Investigates Missing Documents

Minister of Education Dr Ismail Shafeeu announced that MVR 248 million of MVR 280 million in unpaid bills for previously initiated projects has been settled. The payments were part of efforts to address a backlog caused by insufficient budget allocations for the projects.

The update came as Shafeeu responded to questions on the construction status of the Dharumavantha School hall. He clarified that MVR 280 million in unpaid bills had accumulated before he assumed office, with MVR 32 million still outstanding. Shafeeu acknowledged that some construction companies had paused work due to delayed payments, which has impacted both ongoing and new projects.

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In discussing broader issues of project delays, Shafeeu highlighted that this year’s budget for Public Sector Investment Projects (PSIP) averaged 7% of the total budget for new initiatives, with certain projects receiving up to 15% less than required. 

He noted that various ongoing projects across constituencies have encountered delays as contractors demobilised over outstanding payments. Efforts are now underway to restart stalled projects and prioritise uninitiated ones. According to Shafeeu, new contracts are being signed with construction companies to ensure necessary work continues.

Concerns Over Missing Project Documentation

Shafeeu also addressed issues surrounding missing documentation for a MVR 16 million project to expedite a school construction in Malé, initiated under former Education Minister Dr Aishath Ali. The Minister revealed that records relating to the project are missing, with essential emails reportedly deleted.

Responding to a query from South Fuvahmulah MP Ibrahim Hussain, Shafeeu stated, “The contractor of a significant school in Malé informed us two weeks ago that MVR 16 million is owed by the Education Ministry, but there is no documentation or official communication to verify this.” Shafeeu noted that the agreement lacked approvals from relevant financial and bidding committees, as well as the Finance Ministry.

Reports indicate that the contractor was paid additional fees based on project variations. However, the MVR 16 million currently claimed relates to the cost of expediting the project.

The issue is now subject to a police investigation initiated by the Education Ministry last June, focusing on the deleted emails. On the day the investigation was launched, Dr Aishath Ali wrote on Facebook that her email account had been deactivated on the final day of her tenure and that an attempt had been made to access it.

The Education Ministry has not yet disclosed the timeline for resolving these documentation issues or completing the delayed projects.