The Kiribati education system is based upon a 6-3-3 model and consists of five stages: Early Childhood Education (ECE) for ages 3–5, Primary for ages 6–11 (Years 1–6), Junior Secondary for ages 12–15 (Years 7–9), Senior Secondary for ages 16–18 (Years 10–11) and Post-Secondary for ages 19–20 (Years 12–13). Age limits for each stage are notional, as it is common for students to repeat years.
Schooling in Kiribati is free up to Junior Secondary level and attendance is legally compulsory between the ages of six and fourteen. However, a significant proportion of children in the primary and junior secondary age groups do not attend school. Students who fail competitive examinations at Year 9 and Year 11 are unable to continue their studies. This factor—and the school fees charged by all senior secondary schools—contribute to a high attrition rate among older school-age children.
English is the medium of instruction in secondary schools. The Kiribati language is widely used in primary schools, although its use is discouraged from Year 3.
a) School education
Pre-Primary Level
Early childhood education is largely provided by church agencies, community groups and private teachers. Many preschool centres are run in teacher’s homes. Church preschool groups are typically held in church meeting halls. Community-run centres operate in the outer islands. There are now over 200 early childhood centres across the country and a peak NGO, the Kiribati Early Childhood Education Association (KECEA) exists.
The Kiribati Government has little formal involvement in the provision of ECE. However, an Early Childhood Education policy was released in 2009. This policy is intended to serve as a regulatory framework for all ECE providers in Kiribati.
Primary Level
The first six years of formal education is within a primary school model covering grades 1-6. There are 91 government-run primary schools in Kiribati. The Kiribati Government is the sole provider of primary education in the country. Almost 30% of all primary age students are not enrolled in a primary school due to logistical constraints. High costs of maintaining and operating schools on outlying islands is prohibitive.
Secondary Level
Primary students compete for places in secondary school through a process of entrance examinations with less than 20% being successful in gaining a place. However, they can continue to attend Primary School for grades 7-9. The secondary schools are modeled upon a Junior High (forms 1-3) and Senior High School (forms 4-6) structure.
There are 2 Combined/Junior Secondary Schools, 24 Junior Secondary Schools and 16 Senior Secondary schools in Kiribati. Approximately a quarter of these schools are government-run. The rest are run by religious groups. The Kiribati Government provides financial support both to the handful of public secondary schools and the non-government schools.
Non-Government Schools
The majority of secondary schools in Kiribati are run by churches or other religious groups (including the Church of Latter Day Saints and the Bahai Faith).
Fifteen church schools have formed the Church Education Directors’ Association in Kiribati (CEDAK).
b) Vocational education and training (VET)
There are a number of government institutions that offer TVET training in specific fields. These include:
The Kiribati Institute of Technology provides short courses in areas such as the building trades, carpentry, vehicle maintenance, computer skills and business studies, adult education and engineering. Most courses are pre-diploma level, although there are a small number of diploma qualifications.
The Kiribati Police Academy offers pre-service training for recruits to the Kiribati Police.
The Kiribati School of Nursing runs courses leading to a Certificate in Midwifery and a Diploma in Nursing and Obstetrics.
The Kiribati Teachers College offers certificate- and diploma-level teacher training for primary and junior secondary teachers.
In addition, two government institutions provide TVET in the nautical field. The first of these is the Fisheries Training Centre (FTC).The FTC provides seamanship training to the level of rating (Deck, Engine and Fishing) for Kiribati men intending to work on commercial fishing vessels. Qualifications on offer also include an upgrading course for qualified fishermen.
The Marine Training Centre (MTC) runs basic training courses in deck, engine-room and catering work, including a number of certificate-level programs. German shipping companies provide the main employers for graduates of the MTC.
There are also a number of religious-affiliated training bodies.The Tangintebu Theological College trains future pastors for the Kiribati Protestant Church. The Kiribati Protestant Church also runs the Christian Institute for Community Development (CICD), a vocational school for young people who have dropped out of mainstream education. The CICD has an enrolment of more than 100 students. The Bahai Faith provides a Vocational Institute for early childhood teachers.
In addition to institutions offering formal qualifications, there is a significant non-formal sector. Local NGOS and church bodies are active in providing non-formal education and training programs in the areas of nutrition and health, water and sanitation, agroforestry, small-scale food production, local community planning and decision-making, recycling, environment issues and small business development.
c) Higher education
Pre-Tertiary and Tertiary Education
Kiribati students successful in their Year 11 exams can continue to Year 12 and Year 13. These provide the equivalent of a foundation program for university entrance.
The major provider of tertiary education in Kiribati is the University of the South Pacific (USP). In 2008, student enrolments at the Kiribati Campus were 476 EFTS. These students were enrolled in a wide range of courses: Preparatory, Foundation, Certificate, Diploma and Degree studies. However, most students attend on-campus courses of this university in New Zealand or Australia on scholarships funded by the host country.
Overview of Distance Education (DE)
As in many other Pacific states, the history of DE in Kiribati is almost from the history of the activities of the USP in the country. A USP Extension Centre was opened in 1976. The Centre moved to its current location on Tarawa two years later. In 2006, the Centre became a USP Campus. The USP Campus allows students in Kiribati to choose from hundreds of USP courses available by distance and flexible learning. Students with access to the Kiribati Campus can listen to lectures broadcast from Fiji, make use of audio and video-conferencing facilities and use the USPNet system for communication with lecturers and other students.
The USP offers Distance & Flexible Learning courses in a wide range of subjects and at different levels from certificate-level programs to postgraduate qualifications. Printed based materials form the primary method of distance delivery. These are supplemented by a range of different media: audio/video tapes, CD-ROMs and DVDs, satellite-based video-conferencing and audio-conferencing, and e-learning using the Moodle platform. The USP’s goal is to move eventually to fully online delivery.
For a number of years, the Pacific Open Learning Health Network (POLHN) computer lab in Tungaru National Hospital on the island of Tarawa has used for the delivery a wide range of self-paced courses in nursing, health and medical technology in Kiribati using the Moodle platform. These courses are accessible to all. Registration is necessary only when the student intends to sit for the final exam. Passing the final exam allows the student to save or print a Certificate of Achievement. In addition to its own courses, POHLN has selected a range of short online courses from other providers. POHLN’s selection includes 90 courses from Lippincott’s Nursingcenter.com range and 50 radiology courses from the Philips Online Learning Center.POLHN also provided a short one-week online introductory course in POLHN eLearning, which is provided at regular intervals for new participants.
Administration and Finance
All education in the Republic of Kiribati is funded jointly by government, church and parents. The Ministry of Education oversees all programs centrally and is a significant arm of government, accounting for around 25% of all government expenditure.
Chronic underfunding of primary and junior secondary schools is a perennial problem. In 2008, 50% of total education expenditure went to basic education, but 96% of this was absorbed by teacher salaries. As a result, furniture, teaching materials and library facilities are often rudimentary. Many school buildings and classrooms are in bad repair. Overcrowding is common in urban schools. Water supply and sanitary facilities in many schools are also very poor.
Higher Education Reforms
Reform of higher education in Kiribati is largely dependent on the direction of USP policies.
Future Direction of Tertiary Education
The future direction of tertiary education in the country depends largely on development at the Kiribati Campus of the USP.
Information and Communications Technology Initiatives
Telecommunications in Kiribati are provided by Kiribati Services Kiribati Ltd (TSKL), a fully government-owned company. TSKL provides a GSM mobile telephone network as well as traditional fixed line services. TSKL also offers Internet access to homes and businesses, as well as running two Internet cafes. TSKL is currently a monopoly provider and Digicel was refused a license to operate a mobile service in Kiribati in 2009. The future progress of ICT in Kiribati is uncertain given the TSKL monopoly position and the financial situation of the Kiribati Government.
a) Information society strategy
None identified.
b) Major e-learning initiatives
Kiribati joined the OLPC Oceania project in 2010. In 2011, 2,000 XO laptops will be distributed to pupils in Kiribati primary schools. The Kiribati Government has undertaken to measure the impact of these laptops on basic literacy and numeracy.
c) Benchmarking e-learning
None identified.
d) Support for OER
Kiribati is a member of the VUSSC initiative, which is developing a range of OER for use across the Commonwealth.
WikiEducator includes a series of pages on education in Kiribati established as part of the Kiribati Wiki Content Free Initiative.
e) Government entities
Ministry of Education
f) Associations and networks
Church Education Directors’ Association in Kiribati (CEDAK)
Kiribati Association of NGOs (KANGO)
Kiribati Early Childhood Education Association (KECEA)
Pacific Islands Association of Non-Government Organisations (PIANGO)
Pacific Association of Technical Vocational Education and Training (PATVET)
Pacific Regional Initiatives for the Delivery of Basic Education (PRIDE)
Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL)
g) Distance Education journals<
None identified.
Interesting Distance Education Initiatives
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) has assisted staff at the Kiribati Institute of Technology to establish video production and DVD duplication facilities at Kiribati Video, an NGO that functions as the Institute's video resource unit. In recent years, Kiribati Video has released more than 100 DVD titles on topics such as health, disability, the environment, civil society, good government, Kiribati history and culture, family and social issues. These titles are distributed to islands across Kiribati and provide an essential resource for community education.