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Opening ceremony of the National Service professional and technical training second batch - Photo: MNDF

MALÉ: The newly introduced Maldives National Service program has become the primary driver behind a 70 percent surge in state training expenses, pushing overall spending to MVR 422 million before the end of the year.

Launched to recruit and train young adults for careers in the military and police forces, the national initiative has significantly expanded public sector training costs compared to previous years. Training for the recruits is conducted at the military Composite Training Center located in Lh. Maafilaafushi.

Figures from the Ministry of Finance reveal that training expenses have nearly tripled due to the scale of the program. The government aims to enroll 1,000 young participants annually, providing each recruit with a monthly allowance during their training period.

Key statistics and details regarding the National Service program and training spending include:

• Annual Youth Recruitment: 1,000 young participants recruited and trained each year for military and police service roles.

• Monthly Allowance: MVR 6,000 provided to each participant every month throughout the training course.

• Current Training Spend: MVR 422 million expended so far this year, marking a 70 percent increase over last year’s total spend of MVR 248 million.

• Annual Budget Allocation: MVR 620 million set aside for local and foreign training programs in this year’s budget, up 170 percent from the previous year’s allocation.

• Main Training Base: Operational instruction and physical training take place at the military facility in Lh. Maafilaafushi.

The initial batch of the Maldives National Service program officially commenced in 2024 at the Lh. Maafilaafushi training center.