Using geospatial software, education planners in the Maldives mapped population densities, school locations, catchment areas, transport infrastructure and other crucial factors for the higher secondary grades. Overlaying this information allowed them to identify underserved areas and prioritize them for new school construction.
The Maldives consists of 1,196 islands grouped into 26 atolls (strings of coral islands surrounding a lagoon), a geography that poses serious challenges for delivering education to all children of the Maldives. Until recently, some students had to move to an island offering higher secondary education to complete their final two years of school (key stage 5 – grades 11 and 12, or A-levels).
“Migrating to Malé comes with lots of challenges,” student Haanee Ahmed says. “When our island school started offering A-levels, I was able to avoid them [the challenges].”