Financing for equity in pre-primary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
As of 2024, the official entrance age to pre-primary education is 5. The number of years of free pre-primary education granted in legal frameworks and the number of years of compulsory pre-primary education granted in legal frameworks are 1. The net enrolment rate for pre-primary for both sexes is 68.41%.
Governance
The Ministry of Education, Sports and Training, oversees pre-primary education financing through its Public School System (PSS), which manages kindergarten programs transitioned from the former Head Start initiative. The Ministry of Finance, Banking and Postal Services allocates budgets, while the Office of the Chief Secretary and the Ministry of Health and Human Services coordinate multisectoral efforts, including World Bank-funded projects. A major external actor in early childhood education financing is the U.S. Office of Head Start (OHS), which funds and oversees Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
Tuition-free status
One year of free pre-primary education is granted in legal frameworks.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Kindergarten (age 5) has been integrated into public elementary schools and provided free of charge since 2004, financed through the public system. Government funding to private preschools is tied to enrollment and accreditation, while the state has begun establishing public preschool classrooms (for ages 3-4) using public and external funds. Equity is explicit: expansion prioritises underserved areas (e.g., neighbouring islands) and aims to raise enrollment among 3-4-year-olds.
2. Education resources to institutions
Public kindergarten is universally free, and newly opened public preschool classrooms are financed by the government with World Bank IDA grant support; programme targets include increasing 3-4 enrollment and serving remote, climate-risk, and lower-income households—i.e., equity-oriented allocation.
3. Education resources to students and families
According to the 2013 Public School System Act, the Public School System may offer transportation services for special education, preschool, elementary, and secondary students, subject to available resources. It further requires the development of regulations that consider students’ residence and distance from school, physical or learning disabilities, and the specific geographic and community conditions of different islands and atolls.
Direct family-side instruments (like vouchers/tax credits) are not documented by the Ministry of Education, Sports and Training.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
The Marshall Islands has implemented a conditional cash transfer programme to support children and families under its multisectoral early childhood development (ECD) project.
