Financing for equity in primary and secondary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to schools
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Education in Vanuatu is not universally and fully free, but the government has made significant progress in reducing the cost burden on families through a phased school fee-free policy. Currently, free education is officially provided from early childhood care and education (ECCE) up to Year 8, with the policy extended in recent years to cover Years 9 and 10, and plans to further expand to Years 11–13.
According to the 2025 Financial Management Manual (Volume 1), the authority to spend public funds is delegated by Parliament to the director general through the 1998 Public Finance and Economic Management Act. Responsibility for ensuring transparent use of public funds is distributed across a layered network of institutional gatekeepers that uphold the integrity of the public financial management system. The Department of Finance and Treasury (DoFT) acts as the central authority for final payment approvals, while within the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), the Finance Unit (FinU) ensures all payment requests conform to legal and policy requirements before submission to the Director General.
At the decentralized level, provincial education offices provide oversight and technical support to both their offices and schools, promoting adherence to financial regulations and planning standards. Ultimately, financial stewardship at the school level rests with the school principal, who ensures compliance with relevant financial guidelines and reporting obligations.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Vanuatu operates a highly structured, formula-based mechanism for transferring education funds directly to schools, rather than through provincial governments. According to the 2017 Vanuatu Education Management Information System (VEMIS) Policy, the amount each school receives is determined annually based on student enrolment numbers, as recorded in the VEMIS. According to the 2025 Budget Book (Volume 2), the government has allocated VT 396,195,394 to the Provincial Education Offices and Education Authorities as part of government appropriations, along with an additional VT 3,500,000 provided as cash grants and aid in kind (see Table 1). According to the GPE 2025 Results Framework for Vanuatu, the share of government spending allocated to education (excluding debt servicing) increased from 22% in 2020 to 24% in 2023.
According to the 2025 MoET Finance Policy, all schools are required to maintain a finance policy, adhere to the 2021 School Grant Code, and use the school financial management instructions to record and report all financial transactions throughout the year, ensuring consistency and compliance with national standards.
2. Education resources to schools
The 2025 School Grant Program funds government and non-government assisted schools with annual grants per student as follows: early childhood education receives 9,000 Vatu per student (for ages 4 and 5), primary school receives 8,900 Vatu per student (Years 1 to 6), and secondary school receives 50,125 Vatu per student (Years 7 to 13/14). Additionally, funding is provided for secondary school exam fees for Years 12 to 13/14, with the amount varying depending on the subjects. These grants are disbursed in three instalments over the year: 30% in January, 30% in April, and 40% in July.
3. Education resources to students and families
No information is found.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Vanuatu does not operate a permanent, nationwide child cash transfer program for education. However, the government and partners have implemented short-term social protection measures to support families with school-related expenses, particularly after disasters. Following Cyclone Harold and during the COVID-19 pandemic, organisations such as Save the Children and Oxfam piloted cash and voucher assistance (CVA) programmes, coordinated with government, that enabled households to meet urgent needs including school fees, uniforms, and transport.
5. School meal programmes
There is no national school feeding program in Vanuatu, and as such, there are no official statistics on the nationwide number of students benefiting from school feeding or the total funding allocated to such programs. Instead, school food initiatives in the country are typically localized.
This profile has been reviewed by Alexandra McCormick and Lincoln Hlatywayo.
