Maldives Qualification Authority Calls for Consultation on Teachers and Nurses Pay Gap

The Maldives Qualification Authority (MQA) has emphasized the importance of consulting with the authority when formulating salary frameworks. This comes amid an ongoing debate about the significant pay gap between teachers and nurses, despite both professions requiring equal qualifications. Teachers and nurses in the Maldives have long been underpaid relative to their responsibilities, leading many to leave their jobs, particularly in the teaching sector, which faces a shortage of local professionals. The previous administration introduced salary increases for both professions, but disparities remain. For example, a nurse with a diploma earns MVR 20,927.90, while a teacher with the same qualification earns MVR 14,474.40. MQA CEO Mariyam Fizana Rasheed highlighted that nurses' diplomas involve 360 credits over three years, equivalent to a bachelor’s degree, while teachers' diplomas require only 120 credits. She stressed the importance of consulting MQA for salary frameworks to address these discrepancies and ensure fair compensation for both professions.