Avid says MQA’s latest penalty is baseless and damages public trust in the institution

Avid College has accused the Maldives Qualifications Authority (MQA) of making false allegations regarding the issuance of certificates to unregistered students, stating that the authority acted without sharing information or seeking clarification from the institution.

In a statement issued Thursday, Avid College said it has built long‑standing academic partnerships with international institutions, and that MQA had not provided the college with any details about the incident for which it was penalised. The college said it had not been questioned or asked to respond before the penalty was announced.

According to the statement, this shows that MQA acted “without sincerity” and in a manner that damages public trust in the college. Avid described the move as contrary to principles of fair procedure and said it amounted to an attempt to tarnish the institution’s reputation.

The college added that it has not offered any programmes through international partner institutions since 10 September last year, rejecting any implication that it continues to run cross‑border courses in violation of accreditation rules.

ނޫސް ބަޔާން: އެވިޑް ކޮލެޖުގައި ރަޖިސްޓަރީ ނުކޮށް، ދަރިވަރުން ތަކަކަށް ސަނަދު ދޫކުރުމާ ގުޅޭ؛https://t.co/7Rz12gHnaY@MoHEmv @MoEdumv pic.twitter.com/AVvu5fli1o

— Maldives Qualifications Authority (@mqamaldives) June 21, 2026

MQA fined Avid College last Saturday for issuing certificates to students who were not registered with the institution. The authority said Avid had earlier this year awarded certificates to Sri Lankan students who were not formally registered, and that it had since come to its attention that the college had again issued certificates to unregistered students. The fine was imposed on the advice of the MQA Advisory Board.

The penalty marks the latest development in a long‑running dispute between Avid College and the qualifications authority. Avid was previously advised in January last year for running programmes in Sri Lanka outside the scope of its accreditation, and the authority has repeatedly warned that such violations risk undermining international confidence in Maldivian higher education and may raise questions over the validity of degrees issued by local institutions.