Spectrum College ties up with Maldivian embassy
View(s):An international school this week signed an MOU with the Maldivian embassy to strengthen the relationship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives in terms of education. The school, Spectrum College – a chain of international schools providing international qualifications while preserving Asian values includes Sri Lankan, Indian, Maldivian and Pakistani nationals.
The college among its unique features has a timetable for one hour periods instead of the traditional 35 or 40 minutes. The academic time-table also includes sports and co-curricular activities where students are involved in activities during school hours. The most important niche that the college has is the Divehi language it offers as a subject to students.
Spectrum College is the only school in the world to offer the Divehi language officially outside the Maldives. It is also the only educational institute to sign an MOU with a foreign mission. Spectrum College and the Maldivian Education and Cultural Centre (MECC) – Maldivian Embassy Colombo signed the MOU on December 5 at the MECC premises in Colombo 6. The MOU was signed by Mohamed Shareef – the Maldivian ambassador in Sri Lanka and Dr. M.S. Fazlul Azad the chairman of Spectrum College.
Officials from the Maldivian embassy in Colombo, principal of Spectrum College boys’ school Mrs. Jenny Gunasekera, director Miss. Amra Azad and other academic staff of Spectrum College were also present on the occasion. The main agreements between the two bodies includes a 75% reduction in admission fees for a period of three months for new students registering through the MECC, this will be reduced to 50% in the following nine months. Spectrum College also agreed to provide a full scholarship to one Maldivian student in need.
In return, the MECC will provide its fullest support in promoting Spectrum College as a recognised centre for education for Maldivians residing in Sri Lanka. The MECC will also provide its fullest support in offering the Divehi language and Spectrum will be considered the exam centre for the SSC Dhivehi language offered by the Maldivian education ministry which is equivalent to the Cambridge O/Level.
Spectrum hopes to expand its educational services to other nationals in the future, aimed at bringing in more foreign students to Sri Lanka.