The Republic of Kiribati consists of 33 coral islands and is located in the central Pacific Ocean, halfway between Hawaii and Australia. Kiribati gained independence from Britain in 1979 and has a population of about 100,000 people (July 2010 est.). Kiribati are generally described as Micronesian, and many speak Gilbertese, a Micronesian dialect, on the islands surrounding the capital island of Tarawa. However, English is the official language and is most commonly spoken on Tarawa and is understood in all government offices. The schools also teach English as part of the curriculum.
Kiribati School System
Delivery of education services in Kiribati is handled as a partnership between Government and the Churches.
Education in Kiribati is free and compulsory for ages 6 to 12 years old and was introduced in legislation in 1977. Under the legislation the government assumed responsibility for all primary schools with churches being asked to changed their focus to secondary education. The average pupil/teacher ratio in primary school system was 24 to 1 and 16 to 1 in secondary schools.
Primary education includes the first seven years: classes one to six.
The 82 government-funded primary schools throughout the islands enroll
about 18,000 students. The Educational attainment in Kiribati is largely restricted to
the primary level; this is principally the result of a lack of
availability and cost of secondary and tertiary schools on the islands.
Secondary education (classes 7 through 11) for government school placements are competitive
and based on scores from a National Entrance Examination. Less than 20
percent of primary school children receive any secondary education in government run schools. In
1997, there were 1,901 students enrolled in government secondary schools. Students
who wish to continue to receive education beyond the primary level, but
are unable to find placement in a secondary school, may continue for
another three years in Classes 7-9. Of the Kiribati students in secondary school, 77 percent attend church schools. Church secondary schools include those sponsored by: Catholic, Church of God, LDS (Mormon), Protestant, and Seventh Day Adventists.
Kiribati has few natural resources and most families live on a day to day subsistence from fishing and gathering fruits and vegetables such as bread fruit, coconuts, Tara roots, and other native plants that grow naturally. Some families have small garden by their homes, others work have part time employment or sell fish, hand crafted, gifts, and other homemade products along the road side. Employment opportunities are very limited. The nation relies very much on foreign aid from Australia, Taiwan, and other countries.
Government decentralized junior secondary schools which provide the first three years of secondary education have begun being opened. Eventually government plans call for 24 junior secondary schools whose students will then enroll in centralized high schools.
Tertiary (post secondary) training is undertaken at the University of the South Pacific, and at a number of local institutions including Kiribati Teachers College (which trains primary school teachers), the Marine Training School and Tarawa Technical Institute. Consideration is being given to consolidating some of these institutions into a College of higher education. Many young adults would like to attend post secondary education but the costs are prohibitive for many of them. Those who are fortunate enough to get a job many earn about $40.00 per week.
ROTARY DICTIONARY PROJECT:
The Richfield, Utah Rotary Club sent twenty cases of dictionaries to Kiribati for us to distribute as we saw fit. As part of the literacy program of Rotary in the USA, each year - every 4th grader is given their own dictionary. With thousands of children in Kiribati scattered on many different islands and atolls and with the limited number of dictionaries, we decided to try and get several schools a classroom set of 26 dictionaries. The photos that follow are of some of the students in schools that received Richfield's Rotary Clubs generous donation. We also thank the company that prints the dictionaries for sending them postage free to Majuro, in the Marshall Islands. The Majuro Marshall Island Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints then paid the freight to have them flown to Tarawa.
Moroni High School
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| Moroni High School celebrated its 35th anniversary since its founding this past week. There are about 500 students enrolled from Form 1 to Form 7 (grades 7-12 age group). Many students from outer islands and from Tarawa live in the dormitories on campus |
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Dictionaries being distributed by to Form 1 (7th grade age) at Moroni High School
by Peter (their teacher) and Elder Thorne |
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| Moroni High Form 1 students pose with the classroom set of dictionaries in the blue and white school uniforms |
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| The remainder of the Class display the Rotary dictionaries |
We have been working with a Rotarian from Australia - Vicky Roberts to establish a Rotary Club in Tarawa. Many of the potential members are teachers - so that helped us identify some of the schools where the dictionaries were distributed. Some of the first cases of dictionaries were distributed to the English Department at Moroni High School for Form 1-3 students (7-9 grades). Other schools ranged from primary, Jr. highs and high schools as shown in photos of this blog
Saint Louis High School
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A classroom set of dictionaries were presented to Saint Louis High School a Catholic School. The two in the background standing are Elder Corwin Ogborn (a Rotarian), Kauaba Ibutuna (President of the proposed Tarawa Rotary Club and also a teacher at the school) and Elder Thorne. Students are sitting in the maneaba at the school
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Three young ladies standing in front of the Saint Louis High School sign or banner.
Students at all the schools wear uniforms in the school colors |
Dainippon Primary School
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| Students showing dictionaries donated to the Dainippon Primary School in Betio |
Next we went to the Dainippon Primary School in Betio and presented 26 dictionaries to the principal of the school. The school was built by the Japanese government, who occupied the atoll during the early part of the World War II. The Battle of Tarawa took place near the site of this school.
The principal expressed her gratitude to Rotary for the donation. Many of the government schools have very few supplies and books for students. Some do not even have desks, so the students must sit on mats and write their lessons on the floor. There are hundreds of potential Rotary projects through out the Nation of Kiribati.
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| A few students and the principal showing the rotary dictionaries presented to them |
Saint Patrick College (Intermediate School)
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The other school in Betio given dictionaries was a Jr. secondary school named Saint Patrick College. Many of the Catholic churches have a parish school near vicinity.
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| St. Patrick's is a junior secondary school (Form 1-3) |
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| Catholic Church directly across the road from Saint Patrick College Junior Secondary School |
Rurubao Primary School
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| Younger students posing with the schools new dictionaries |
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| Rurubao is an English speaking primary school and is considered one of the better primary schools in Tarawa |
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| The principal and a primary teacher at Rurubao Primary School were there to receive the dictionaries |
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| Students love to pose for pictures in front of their school banner |
William Goward Memorial School
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| Students at William Goward Memorial College (a Jr. High School) along with their principal Teretita Pwataeru. The English Department has already begun using the dictionaries in classes |
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| William Goward was a Protestant missionary who dedicated his life to serving the I-Kiribati people |
Tinker Bell Beginner Pre-School
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| Students at Tinker Bell Pre School are holding dictionaries that were given to the six teachers at the school to help them better understand English so they can help these young students get a head start in the language |
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| Really cute pre school children in their school uniforms with a teacher and head master. They are not precocious enough to read dictionaries yet, but like to hold them for pictures. The problem was trying to convince them to return the dictionaries to their teachers |
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| The Tinker Bell pre school is held in and open veranda similar to a covered patio |
In summary over 200 dictionaries were donated to nine different schools:
- Moroni High School (LDS)
- Saint Louis High School (Catholic)
- Cincinnati Junior High School (Catholic)
- Bianippen Primary School (Government)
- Saint Patrick College Jr. High School (Catholic)
- William Goward Memorial School (Protestant)
- Rurubao Primary School (Government)
- Tinker Bell Beginner Pre-School (6 dictionaries for Teachers)
- Saint Ann Preschool (teachers)
In addition two cases were provided to the mission office in Majaro, Marshall Islands to use as they choose. We felt this was fair since the LDS mission office paid the air freight to have dictionaries shipped to Tarawa. All in all it was a very successful project, we just wished we had a few thousand more so all children would have access in their schools. Several principals said English departments were very excited to receive them and are putting them to good use.
Chartering a Rotary Club in Tarawa
Currently the only Rotary club in Kiribati is on Christmas Island which is over 2000 miles from Tarawa. Of the 100,000 residents of Kiribati over one-half live in Tarawa which has created over crowded conditions. We have trying to help Vicky Roberts, a Rotarian from Australia to charter a club in Tarawa. About 25 potential members have expressed interest in joining the club - but it is very difficult for many of them to raise the $125 chartering fee. They have been conducting fund raisers but at the rate they are going it will be a long time before they can raise the $3000 necessary for the charter the required 25 members.
Potential Rotary International Projects
Kiribati is a very poor country and there are many and varied needs through out the nation. There are hundreds of worthy projects for Rotary Clubs through out the world to provide assistance to alleviate many of the problems the I-Kiribati people face. These range from a severe shortage of school supplies, inadequate medical facilities, poverty, clean water projects, lack of toilet and sanitation facilities. Many of the schools are in serious disrepair and there are very limited resources available to repair them There are few doctors, dentists and other medical personnel. Life expectancy is 20 to 30 years lower than most developed countries. There is only one school, sponsored Australia, that serves special needs students and it can serve only 100 students. Hundreds of other special needs students currently are unable to attend school. These include blind, hearing impaired, student with serious physical and mental disabilities. There are no mainstreaming or pull out programs for students with disabilities in government or church schools. Part of the issue is lack of training and the other lack of resources. A third might be the lack of awareness that these children can and need to be educated.
We were told recently that during the past few months five children under 5 years of age have died from Denque fever. Other serious health problems include hepatitis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease. Dental care is practically non existence and only the most critical ill patients are able to see the few doctors available at the hospital. Private practice physicians are non existent.
Despite all these problems the people are happy and take life and death in stride. There are many students who have one or both parents who have passed away. Orphans are taken in by relatives or other generous people. We truly love the I-Kirbati people, and want to help them with many of the challenges they face.
How can you help
The first thing we need is to have a Rotary club in Tarawa chartered. The potential members are working hard to try and raise the $3000 for the initial charter. They are holding a variety of fund raisers and money is slowly coming in, but it will take a long time to raise that amount, so hopefully there can be some outside help.
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