Small islands, significant solutions : educational resilience in the Maldives during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Despite limited resources, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have frequently shown exceptional resilience when confronting global challenges. Nevertheless, SIDS perspectives are often overshadowed in broader educational discussions. The Maldives presents a notable example of how a small island country adapted its educational system during COVID-19. This paper examines the Maldives’ rapid approaches to maintaining educational continuity during school closures, emphasising digital readiness, community participation, and government programmes. The case study highlights the power of communal strength, personal relationships, and social connections in overcoming difficulties. It shows how unity, combined with informal networks, can establish a support structure that helps communities recover from crisis. The Maldives’ experience provides insights for larger countries, showing that resilience stems from strategic planning and joint efforts, rather than size. Educational research can benefit from studying SIDS in comparative education contexts, and established platforms can help distribute SIDS research to broader audiences.