NON-STATE ACTORS IN EDUCATION
2.2 Non-state education provision
3.1 Regulations by distinct levels of education
- Early childhood care and education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
- Primary and secondary education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
- Tertiary education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
3.2 Supplementary private tutoring
The 2008 Education Act defines “non-government school” as any school other than a government school or a local government school, but does not define or name “non-state actors”. The 2016-20 Tuvalu Education Sector Plan III (TESP III) identifies key non-state actors, including non-government agencies and development partners. No definition was found at the tertiary education level.
2.1 State education provision
State schools
Education is free and compulsory between the ages of six and 15 years. Primary (age six to 13) and secondary (age 14 to 18) education are compulsory, in whole or in part. In 2019, most schools (9) at the primary level were state schools (90% primary); they are located on each of the nine islands. In addition, in 2019, there were two secondary schools, including one public. Public schools are state-funded are run in collaborative partnership with the Kaupule, the island council (traditional assembly of elders - te sina o fenua).
Local government schools are also established or maintained by a local government council and Community Training Centres (CTC) offer programmes for students who have not passed the Year Eight (NYE) examination, which is the entrance examination to secondary schools. These students pursue more hands-on learning. These programmes are made available with assistance from the Education Department and in partnership with the Kaupule.
Non-state managed, state schools
No information was found.
Non-state funded, state schools
Parents might have to pay tuition fees. The 2008 Education Act (Art. 33) states that the parent of a pupil “shall be liable for all fees due in respect of such pupil at a school or institution”. In addition, it stipulates that “all fees due from a parent […] shall be recoverable by or on behalf of the Minister as a civil debt in a court of competent jurisdiction”.
Cash or ‘in-kind’ support received outside the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport come from Commonwealth of Learning (COL), UNICEF – Child Protection, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia), World Bank – PEARL programme (ECCE and years 1-3), South Pacific Community (Education Quality and Assessment Program) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
2.2 Non-state education provision
Independent, non-state schools
In 2019, there was one non-governmental primary school (10%) in the country owned and operated by the Seventh-Day Adventist and one non-governmental secondary school (50%), the Fetuvalu High School, owned and operated by the Ekalesia Kelisiano o Tuvalu (EKT, the Tuvalu Christian Church). They were both located in Funafuti. According to the World Bank, 12% of students attended a primary non-government school in 2019. Tuvalu does not refer to “low-fee” independent private schools in official documents.
State-funded (government-aided), non-state schools
The two non-governmental schools at primary and secondary levels, both religious, receive annual cash grants from the government to assist with the teachers’ salaries, training assistance to staff and teachers, and in-kind donations to support teaching and learning.
Contracted, non-state schools
No information was found.
2.3 Other types of schools
Homeschooling
No information was found.
Market contracted (Voucher schools)
No information was found.
Unregistered/Unrecognised schools
No information was found.
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) is responsible for Tuvalu’s education system and policy for both government and non-government schools for early childhood care and education, primary, secondary, post-secondary and pre-tertiary education. The School Supervisory Unit within the Education Department is responsible for overseeing all types of educational institutions in Tuvalu. Tuvalu does not have a Religious ministry separate from MEYS that makes decisions on non-state education.
Vision: Different regulations apply to all levels of education and cover non-government schools. The 2008 Education Act, an act to reform the 1977 Education Ordinance provides for the control of non-government schools, followed by further powers of the Minister in relation to non-government and local government schools. The 2008 Education (Compulsory Education) Order defines regular education as “efficient education for a child of school age suitable to his age, ability and aptitude by regular attendance at a registered non-government school or a government school”. The 2008 Tuvalu Constitution (Art. 23) adds that religious communities are entitled to establish and maintain places of education. They must maintain the minimum prescribed educational standards. The 2016-20 Tuvalu Education Sector Plan III (TESP III) does not present a vision for the provision of education by non-state actors.
3.1 Regulations by distinct levels of education
Early Childhood Centres include kindergartens, daycare and playgroups. Kindergartens (or pre-schools) provide a half-day programme five days per week for children 3 to 5½ years. Some kindergartens with low enrolment offer a full-day programme. Kindergartens are established by villages or communities. Some kindergartens are attached to schools and located on their premises. In parallel, playgroups provide pre-school play experiences for young children whilst parents attend meetings, classes etc.
In 2019, all 18 schools at this level were non-government schools. They were managed and operated by communities, Kaupule, non-government organisations and private providers. In addition, several pre-schools are run by parents in different districts of Funafuti. ECCE centres are open to all children aged three to five on a voluntary basis.
The 2007 Early Childhood Care and Education Policy applies to all government and non-government institutions and providers responsible for the provision of ECCE services as well as for the professional training of ECCE teachers.
Registration and approval: The 2017 Registration Policy of ECCE Centres is the key document guiding the registration process.
Those wishing to establish ECCE centres must follow a formal application process. They must obtain from the Director of Education in the Department of Education in Funafuti a copy of an Application to Register an ECCE Centre, complete it and submitted it to the Director of Education. Then, the Education Officer for ECCE from the Department of Education inspects the centre to make sure it meets the required standards. If the centre is approved for registration, a certificate of registration is sent to the centre. This certificate should be kept on display. No ECCE Centre shall be opened until it has met all of the requirements and been approved. A period of 30 days is granted for appeal after being rejected for approval.
The Ministry of Education oversees this process; the DoE “assesses the facilities, resources, teaching programmes, teacher qualifications and the constitution of the centre management committees to ensure that these requirements are met” (p. 5). Providers must also ensure that buildings, grounds and equipment are safe and developmentally appropriate for children.
Licence: A certificate is issued by the Ministry of Education. ECCE centres must operate only once approval of recognition is given by the Department of Education (DoE).
Profit-making: No information was found.
Taxes and subsidies: The government provides financial support for teachers' salaries, infrastructure, teaching resources and professional support. The 2007 Early Childhood Care and Education Policy states that the Department of Education will continue “supporting non-government organisations, communities, Kaupule and private providers” (p. 3) to develop and manage the ECCE centres more effectively.
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum or learning standards: Early Learning Development Standards (ELDS) were published in 2015 to help ECCE centres understand the standards required to function appropriately. All ECCE programmes in Tuvalu “must provide developmentally and culturally appropriate, quality care and education to all children from 2+ – 8 years of age” (Early Childhood Care and Education Policy, 2007). It favours learning through play. ECCE programmes should also be “conducted in the vernacular” wherever possible and must operate at a minimum of 15 hours a week. The ECCE Officer within the Department of Education assists providers and qualified ECCE teachers in developing and implementing the programmes.
Teaching profession: The Ministry of Education (Department of Education), assesses teacher qualifications, registers teachers and oversees their work. In addition, teachers must seek registration to teach through the ECCE centre’s Management Committee. They must supply their name, education and professional training, academic and professional qualifications and grades.
All providers are responsible for funding all operations including staff salaries, but the Ministry of Education contributes to the payment of their salaries (Early Childhood Care and Education Policy, 2007).
ECCE teachers employed by private providers must be “qualified ECCE teachers (p. 5). In addition, the remuneration for teachers “should be commensurate with their teaching status and qualifications and basic training from the Ministry of Education” (Early Childhood Care and Education Policy, 2007). The ECCE Staffing Policy (2007) indicates that the minimum educational qualification for an ECCE teacher is the successful completion of 13 years of formal schooling. The minimum professional qualification is at least two weeks of basic training organised by the Department of Education in the Ministry of Education and Sports. Finally, it identifies the teachers’ salaries, which increase with each level of qualification progressing from a Certificate, to a Diploma, to a Degree.
Fee-setting: No information was found.
Admission selection and processes: No child under the age of two or over the age of six may be enrolled in an ECCE centre.
Policies to support vulnerable groups: No information was found.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
Reporting requirements: Pre-schools are included in the Tuvalu Education Management Information System. The monitoring and evaluation of ECCE services is the direct responsibility of the Director of Education or the ECCE Officer.
Inspection: The Senior Education Officer is assigned to cover the ECCE centres. The 2017 Registration Policy of ECCE Centres states that the Education Officer for ECCE in the Department of Education may, with or without notice, enter and inspect any ECCE centre and check the work of any teachers.
Child assessments: The 2007 Early Childhood Care and Education Policy states that learning through play provides an “ideal opportunity to test the children’s knowledge, skills and understanding” (p. 7).
Sanctions: The Director for Education may, at any time, cancel the registration of an ECCE centre after consultation with parents, teachers, which has failed to conform to the conditions prescribed. It may order the headteacher to close an ECCE centre if the building or grounds do not conform to requirements relating to health and safety, if the programme is inappropriate and detrimental to the child’s total development and if the teachers are not adequately qualified to run it and/or are not performing their duties. If the centre wants to re-open, it must apply for registration again (Registration Policy of ECCE Centres, 2017).
Registration and approval: No non-government school shall be established “unless such school is registered in accordance with the provisions of this Part of this Act” (Education Act, 2008, Art. 13). The proposed site, facilities, and accommodations must be adequate and the number of potential students who could benefit from the facilities offered by the proposed school must be sufficiently large (Art. 14).
The 2017 Tuvalu Education Sector Situational Analysis plans to develop school registration processes for private schools.
A non-Government school may be established and conducted only when it is registered in accordance with the provisions of the Education Ordinance. The Minister may issue instructions to the supervisory authority or the board of directors of any established school. Any authority intending to establish a non-governmental school shall apply to the Director of Education who may register such a school provided that it meets the requirements of the Education Ordinance.
Licence: The Director of Education may register the school and issue the controlling authority with a certificate of registration. The certificate of registration may classify the school in a category that specifies the highest form or type of education that may be provided in the school and may also identify any other conditions that the Director of education considers appropriate to impose (Education Act, 2008, Art. 14).
Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH): No information was found. The World Health Organization (2015) refers to the Pacific Regional Action Plan on sustainable management which recommends improving communication and coordination of all stakeholders in sustainable water and wastewater management including government, civil society, and the private sector.
Profit-making: No information was found.
Taxes and subsidies: Both non-governmental primary and secondary schools receive annual cash grants from the government to subsidise their operations. The Education Department provides an annual subsidy to assist with the teachers’ salaries, training assistance to staff and teachers, and in-kind donations to support teaching and learning. The education and training priorities and strategies for 2005-2015 aimed to provide government support to worthy private schools for education services for special needs students.
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum or learning standards: The Minister approves the basic curricula to be followed in all non-government schools, after consultation with the Educational Advisory Committee (Education Act, 2008, Art. 18).
Fetuvalu Secondary School (FSS) offers an alternative programme, but all non-government schools shall include religious instruction in their curricula. The Director of Education may cancel the registration of the non-government school if “the basic curriculum laid down or approved by the Minister is persistently and materially departed from or religious instruction is not provided as part of the curriculum” (Education Act, 2008, Art. 16).
Textbooks and learning materials: No information was found.
Teaching profession: The Director of Education may cancel the registration of the non-government school if “a person who has not been registered or approved as a teacher in accordance with the provisions of Part VI is employed to teach at the school”. In this regard, the Director of Education shall issue a certificate of registration and a certificate of approval to any teacher registered by him/her as a teacher (Education Act, 2008, Art. 16). No person shall be registered as a teacher “unless he holds a teaching qualification recognised by the Minister” (Art. 24). The register of teachers shall be open to the public.
The regulations on non-state education do not explicitly state whether teachers in private schools are covered by the same provisions as those in the public service. However, the country adopted an Employment Act in 2008, which covers employees in both the private and public sectors.
Corporal punishment: No teacher other than a head-teacher “shall administer corporal punishment to any pupil”. In addition, if a head-teacher administers corporal punishment to any pupil, he/she “shall record details of the punishment administered and the offence for which the corporal punishment was administered in a book to be kept at the school for that purpose” (Education Act, 2008, Art. 29).
Other safety measures and COVID-19: The Director of Education may cancel the registration of a non-government school if the accommodation is “inadequate, overcrowded, unsafe, or otherwise detrimental to health” and the defects cannot be remedied at a reasonable expense (Education Act, 2008, Art. 16).
Fee-setting: The Minister may prescribe fees for tuition, board and lodging in non-public schools that receive a grant (Education Act, 2008, Art. 33). In addition, the Minister may make regulations regarding the fees to be charged for tuition and board and lodging at a school (Art. 35). Both private schools charge fees. These fees are waived “in cases of financial need as prescribed by policy” (p. 25).
Admission selection and processes: Both public and non-government secondary schools do not discriminate between sex, but the student’s admittance into these schools is dependent upon the student’s performance on the National Year Eight Examination (NYEE).
Policies for vulnerable groups: The 2017 Tuvalu Education Sector Situational Analysis states that the bus service is free for all students, even private school students. Poor students in Fetuvalu Secondary School (FSS) are given an opportunity to study by granting a waiver of their tuition fees and sometimes parents have an option to take a loan such as one offered by the affluent Kaupule in Niutao.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
School board: School Management Committees (SMC) are involved actively in the management of non-government schools.
Reporting requirements: Private schools are included in the Tuvalu Education Management Information System, which is in place to support evidence-based reporting and intervention in areas of need.
School inspection: The Minister may cause inspections to be made of each non-government school at such intervals as appear to the Minister to be appropriate. In addition, the Minister or any authorized officer may enter and inspect any place where there is reason to believe that a school is being conducted. Any person who wilfully obstructs an inspection is liable to a fine of $100 (Education Act, 2008, Art. 21).
Student assessments: At the end of Year 8 and Year 12, children sit the National Year Eight (NYE) monitoring examination and the Tuvalu Senior Secondary Certificate (TSSC) examination, respectively. This examination selects students to continue to Year 13 or to the franchised programme for the Certificate IV programmes. At the end of Year 13, students sit for the South Pacific Form Seven Certificate (SPFSC) examination.
Fetuvalu Secondary School (FSS) offers an alternative examination.
In addition, the Minister may institute or approve students examinations “as he shall deem necessary for such schools and make rules concerning the content and conduct of such examinations”. This is done after consultation with the Education Advisory Committee (Education Act, 2008, Art. 18).
Diplomas and degrees: No information was found on the degree-granting body. The students both in government and non-government schools are tested and screened through a national examination process at Year 10/Form 4 (Tuvalu Junior Certificate Examination (TJCE)) and at Year 12/Form 6 (Tuvalu Senior Secondary school Certificate (TSSC)). It is assumed that diplomas are awarded by the state, as passing these tests is a prerequisite for access to higher levels.
Sanctions: The Director of Education may cancel the registration of a non-government school at any time if it subsequently fails to meet the terms of the Ordinance or if the institution is conducted in a manner “detrimental to the physical, mental or moral welfare of pupils”. If the registration has been cancelled, the school may within 30 days appeal against the cancellation to the Minister. Pending resolution of the appeal, the Minister may, at his/her discretion, allow the school to remain open (Education Act, 2008, Art. 16).
Tertiary education is provided at the Funafuti campus of the University of the South Pacific (USP) and the Tuvalu Maritime Training Institute. Both institutions are public. No non-government institution was found.
“Government school” or “institution” means a “school or institution for higher education established, maintained or conducted under section 4 of this Act” (Education Act, 2008, Art. 2). In this regard, the “Minister may establish, conduct and discontinue government schools and institutions” (Education Act, 2008, S. 4). There are no other references to (non-government) higher education in the regulations analysed.
Registration and approval: No information was found.
Licence: No information was found.
Profit-making: No information was found.
Taxes and subsidies: No information was found.
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum and education standards: No information was found.
Teaching profession: No information was found.
Fee-setting: No information was found.
Admission selection and processes: No information was found.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
Board: No information was found.
Reporting requirements: No information was found.
Inspection: No information was found.
Student assessment: No information was found.
Diplomas and degrees: No information was found.
Sanctions: No information was found.
3.2 Supplementary private tutoring
No information was found.
Financial operation and quality
No information was found.
No information was found.
