NEWSROOMGraduation of Pharmacy Assistant courses

A grand graduation ceremony was held at Dharubaaruge Rannana’deyri Maalam on 31 January, 2015, for TVET Authority’s Pharmacy Assistant courses. His Excellency President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom was the chief guest of the ceremony. Some ministers and senior officials of STO and the Ministry of Education, were also present.

In the ceremony, Minister of Education honourable Dr. Aishath Shiham delivered a speech outlining the ongoing national efforts in skills training, specifically the training pharmacy assistants. HEP Yameen, the Minister of Education as well the Managing Director of STO Ahmed Shaheer honoured the graduates by participating in group photos with them. A vote of thanks was delivered by Mariyam Easa from B. Eydhafushi, who was one of the graduates of the night. On behalf of the graduates, she expressed the appreciation and gratitude towards the government of HEP Yameen for giving higher priority in skills training and pawing way for a better future for disadvantaged youth in the whole country.

The training of pharmacy assistants is an initiative of the Ministry of Education together with the State Trading Organisation (STO) to recruit qualified pharmacists for the pharmacies that has been opened recently across the Maldives. The training of skilled people for such areas where there is job demand in the country is aimed at creating job-ready graduates equipped with skills required by relevant industries. Also, these technical and vocational trainings are related to the pledge of the current government to create 94000 jobs during the presidential term of HEP Yameen.

Altogether 401 students graduated; most of them completing National Certificate 4. Pharmacy courses fall under the National Competency Standard for Pharmacy Assistant, which is approved by the Maldives Qualifications Authority (MQA).

STO sponsored the pharmacy training as well as the graduation ceremony. Since STO is the operator of government owned pharmacies in the country, STO has a huge stake and interest in training and recruiting pharmacists.