Male’, Maldives – Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Ibrahim Hassan has said that the ministry was only responsible for registration of higher education providers and that there needs to be another flying school in the Maldives.
Minister Hassan told that the ministry was looking in to the matter of the issues of the flying school in Gan and that they were also reviewing the audit report compiled by the Civil Aviation Authority regarding the school but said that the ministry was only responsible for registration of such places.
In an interview given to local media outlet “Mihaaru” regarding the Asian Academy of Aeronautics (AAA) in Addu City, Minister Hassan also told that an additional flying school would provide a competitive rate to students.
Minister told that the regulatory body for the flying school is Civil Aviation Authority and that the CAA is responsible for regulating the quality of the school in Addu and of the instructors in the school.
The ministers remarks come after the school had announced for 2021 intake defying the ministries instructions. The Ministry of Higher Education, on the 22nd of October notified the school that it should not accept any new students until currently enrolled students finish their courses.
However, on the school’s website, they have announced courses for 2021 and opened enrollment for these. There are apparently 40 students currently studying the announced Multi Engine Rating course, with only 1 airworthy plane available to them.
The school started acting in bad faith towards the students more rigorously following a notice by the Ministry of Higher Education of the Maldives, which stated that the school will take action against them, along with instructions on to improve the situation for the students.
However, not only has the school failed to comply within the working 20 days, which was the period allocated for them, but has started doubling down on the grievances put on students, of which the latest is the recent termination of 15 students.
The Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation of Maldives Aishath Nahula has vowed yesterday to take action against Academy after 15 students were terminated.
The Asian Academy of Aeronautics, is run by a Sri Lankan party, in Gan, Addu City of Maldives. It was founded in 2008 in Sri Lanka and opened its doors in 2010 as the first flight school to operate in Maldives.
