President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to supporting and facilitating the advancement of private-sector schools and educational institutions.

He was speaking at the "Khidhumathuge Haveeru 2021" event organized by the EPS Foundation held last night.

Vice President Faisal Naseem accompanied the President at the event held in Hotel Jen, both of whom are former students of the English Preparatory and Secondary School (EPSS).

The event was held to celebrate the numerous contributions and achievements of the graduates of EPSS. On this note, President Solih spoke about the important role played in serving the nation by some of the ex-students of EPSS and went on to name some notable figures and their contributions—both of the students and members of the faculty.

President Solih presents award at the ceremony organised by the EPS Foundation/ Photo: President's Office

Speaking about the proud history of the school, President Solih noted that it produced over 27,000 students, most of whom went on to become productive and valuable citizens of society.

Recalling the time of EPSS’s inception, President Solih described it as a time when "equal access to education" was challenging and expressed his gratitude to the founders of the school for their foresighted vision to promote modern secondary school education.

President Solih highlighted that EPSS accorded equal importance to providing extracurricular activities to students, including skills development programs, literature clubs, debate competitions, cadet corp., scouts, and girl guides, in addition to sporting activities.

He said these attributes are synonymous with holistic education.

At the ceremony, President Solih presented plaques of recognition to past students and members of the faculty. The Vice President launched a research project on the 50-year history of the school. EPSS opened its doors with 83 students on June 21, 1986.