View on Progress of Fisheries Science in the Maldives

Fisheries Science was introduced to the curriculum around 1985 and very qualified and skilled teachers from Sri Lanka and and United Kingdom were active in Maldives initially to provide education in this subject. However, initially the subject was taught in Aminiya school and Majeediyya  School which are well established government schools. I had the lovely experience of being part of Fisheries Science class for two years. The way classes were carried out were truly interesting. However, very few realised the importance of learning Fisheries Science.

Maldivian fishing industry needs innovations. Photo: IBSUN

Today Marine Research Centre being the core unit for research related to fisheries some work is always in progress. It would be clear if you  click the link to their website given in this blog . Moreover, the subject Fisheries Science has been part of the Maldivian Secondary Curriculum as an optional subject for more than 25 years. However, it is sad to know that no significant scientists in the field has been created.

Besides that, the way the subject is being taught has adopted very few changes . Currently there is a project work compulsory for 10th grade students which they do to fulfill the necessary requirement for them to pass. It is also known  to everyone that some students have got very good grades in the subject in ordinary level examination. Yet their is no further scope in the subject in the Maldives yet. Moreover, Maldivians are yet not very much into the habit of conducting own studies and the habit is rarely cultivated among students of Fisheries Science. As far as we can understand this is not the kind of progress we should have achieved  in the field  in 25 years or more.

Do we know enough about every fish we catch or eat? Photo IBSUN

Though we have not been able to bring any significant change in the way the subject is being taught it is better late than never, to start bringing some changes. Some of my suggestions are given below. Hope the suggestions would enhance improvement in the teaching being carried out in the field,  in  Maldives.

Make the lessons more practical

Make the lessons more student oriented and reduce teachers' role 

Teacher should work as a facilitator, guide and motivator.

Motivate students to go into own research work

Provide students hints to carry out their own studies

Motivate students to make own documentary videos based on their own studies.

Make evaluation less exam oriented and focus on evaluating students based on the kind of study they do and the way they present

Make ICT part of learning in the field. Tell students to create own blogs to present their own work. Tell students to present their findings using PowerPoint. This can also be made part of the evaluation.

Work towards formulating a curriculum more applicable and practical for Maldivian context rather than forcing the students to do some other country's examination.

Instead of forcing students to do a particular work in the subject find the students' interest  in the field and motivate them and guide them to do that work.

Tell the students that the scope in the field is there as vast as the sea out there.

Share works of famous scientists in the field and motivate students to be scientists in the field in future.

Think of ways to follow-up students involvement in the field after they complete each level of education of after they leave school. 


Keep a record of students work done and make arrangement for new students to view them easily. (This could be done by creating a school blog of science. School Magazine of Science , Website etc)


Provide   opportunity for former students  to contribute to school blogs, magazines or website.

These suggestions I have given above would certainly align with modern and successful  methods of teaching and though a lot of teachers and educational authorities are aware of the procedures , there isn't an adequate input given to establish this method of teaching and there is even less emphasis given to adopt own curriculum to serve the Maldivian dining table.