The Auditor General's Office says the special audit of Ahmadhiyya School is now in its draft stage, with the final report expected to be submitted to the relevant authorities within this month.

The Ministry of Education ordered the special audit after receiving a number of public complaints questioning the school's legal status, governance and use of public funds.

Although Ahmadhiyya School is registered as a Malé ward school, it operates as an international school and charges tuition fees from students in Grades 1 to 12. At the same time, the Government has spent millions of rufiyaa on the school, pays the salaries of some teachers and allows it to operate on Government-owned land without paying rent.

Another major concern is ownership. While the school says it is managed by a board, it remains unclear who legally owns the institution or who receives the revenue collected from tuition fees and other payments made by students and parents. The Malé City Council has also stated that it has no involvement in the school and does not maintain records relating to its management.

Questions have also been raised over the school's leadership. Ahmadhiyya School is believed to be the only school in the Maldives headed by a part-time principal. Principal Mohamed Rasheed is a full-time employee of the People's Majlis Secretariat while also serving as the school's principal. The Ministry of Education did not clarify whether he receives a full-time principal's salary, while the school did not respond to requests for comment.

The audit is expected to address longstanding questions over the school's governance, financial management and accountability when it is released later this month.