Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has conferred merit awards on four students of Centre for Higher Secondary Education (CHSE).

Ibrahim Rifau, Hassan Layan Mohamed, Afaf Ahmed Mustafa and Aishath Eshal Ahmed Aslam were awarded at a special ceremony held at MACL today.

The merit award is given to two girls and two male students who have secured the highest marks among the students who have completed 12th grade a tCHSE as part of MACL's social responsibility. With this award, they will be given a laptop, a data package and an allowance of MVR 2,000 per month for a period of one year. Students will also have the opportunity to gain work experience and training at VIA if they are interested.

Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed, CEO and Managing Director of MACL, said that the merit award is an initiative to promote education as part of the company's social responsibility and will instill a new spirit among the students to pursue education. Since there are many development projects currently underway at VIA, employees will be required in the future and students who have completed CHSE will be required for these jobs, he said.

"In the future, we will launch an internship programme for school-going students to recruit employees for the jobs available in the company and open it up," Shareef said.

CHSE Principal Aishath Safoora said that MACL's merit award will give a new impetus to the students as this is the first time that such an award has been given to the students at the school and we are thankful to MACL for this.

In addition to the MACL merit award, MACL is also giving a cash award for the best all round of the school from this year, which will be extended for a period of three years.