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
In the Cook Islands, the funding flow for education is managed in a centralised manner. The Ministry of Education is responsible for managing education financing and allocating the education budget. The Ministry sets the strategic direction for education, oversees financial appropriation and management, and ensures the efficient and effective delivery of educational services. Within the Ministry, the Secretary of Education holds overall responsibility for education budget allocation and financial oversight, supported by a senior management team.
At the school level, principals and their management teams implement the Ministry’s financial policies, manage school budgets, and ensure the proper use of allocated funds under the supervision of school committees or boards. All schools undergo annual financial audits to maintain accountability.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
The public education financing system in the Cook Islands is centralised, with funding flowing directly from the central government to each school. Subnational governments or local authorities do not act as intermediaries in the funding flow.
2. Education resources to schools
The Cook Islands allocates education resources from the central government to schools using an enrolment-based per capita funding formula. The Ministry of Education centrally administers all public education funding, which is allocated directly from the central government budget to individual schools. All government and private schools receive 100% of the equivalent allocation from the national education budget for teachers and operational costs, based on the number of enrolled students.
Capital Replacement Programme for Schools
The government provides annual funding to support the Ministry’s capital replacement programme for schools. This programme finances the renewal of essential equipment such as computers, photocopiers, multimedia tools, and school or classroom furniture.
3. Education resources to students and families
Pa Enua Students’ Education Assistance Grant Policy
Under the Pa Enua Students’ Education Assistance Grant Policy, the government provides financial aid to students from the outer islands (Pa Enua) to support their schooling on other islands. The grant covers transport expenses and provides a personal allowance for students who must relocate for secondary education.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
The universal child benefit provides regular cash support to all eligible children aged 0–16 who are Cook Islands citizens or children of permanent residents living in the country. The benefit assists parents or guardians in meeting the costs of raising and educating a child. As of 2021, it provided $100 per month until the child reached 16 years of age.
From 1 July 2026, the child benefit will rise to $125 per month, with further $25 annual increases each July until it reaches $200 per month in 2029. Eligibility will also expand to include school-going 16-year-olds from 2026 and 17-year-olds from 2027.
5. School meal programmes
There are no comprehensive, government-supported school meal programmes in the Cook Islands. The government’s Food and Nutrition Policy focuses mainly on nutrition education and promoting healthy diets rather than providing regular school meals.
The School Garden Programme, managed by a local NGO in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, operates in 14 primary and secondary schools (12 in Rarotonga and 2 in the outer islands). It teaches students about agriculture, healthy living, and climate resilience through hands-on food growing activities. This programme is educational and supplementary, not a direct meal provision initiative.
