Senior Lecturer Hameeza Afeef, together with three other staff members, conducted a research project titled “Using the Dhivehi Language: Maldivian Students’ Attitudes Towards the Dhivehi Language, Their Language Choice, and the Assessment of Dhivehi Language Proficiency.” The study examines students’ attitudes towards the Dhivehi language, their language preferences, and their levels of language proficiency, generating valuable evidence to inform language education, policy development, and curriculum enhancement in the Maldives.

The research contributes to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education by providing evidence that can strengthen effective language teaching and learning practices and support improved language proficiency. It advances SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities by promoting the recognition and preservation of linguistic identity and diversity and supporting inclusive approaches to language education. The study also contributes to SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities by supporting the preservation of Maldivian cultural heritage and national identity through the continued use and development of the Dhivehi language. Furthermore, the research supports SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals by generating evidence-based knowledge that can inform dialogue and strengthen collaboration among educators, policymakers, researchers, and other education stakeholders.

The study highlights the importance of understanding students’ language attitudes, choices, and proficiency in developing responsive language education policies and curricula, while contributing to the continued preservation and strengthening of Dhivehi as an important component of Maldivian cultural heritage.