The Government of Vanuatu recognizes the importance of early education in children’s later development and learning. While ECCE is currently provided by non-governmental and community organizations, the Government has plans to become more involved in this area of education. For example, the Government has identified the creation of a national curriculum and teaching training requirements for pre-school as a top priority. In addition, the Ministry of Education is also giving increased attention to developing a comprehensive framework that starts with two years of pre-school education taught in local languages (UNESCO 2008).
There are more than 700 pre-schools in Vanuatu (Government of Vanuatu 2006) but only a 57% gross enrolment rate, with a slight disparity between males and females (males 58%, females 56%) (UIS n.d.). High fees are a barrier to many families sending their children to preschool (Government of Vanuatu and UNICEF 2005). Many children still do not have access to ECCE but the NER is slowly increasing.
Early childhood education in Vanuatu suffers from a lack of qualified teachers, supplies and safe facilities. Most preschool teachers do not have a secondary school education and are not trained in early childhood development. In 2008 it is reported that 47% of ECCE teachers were certified. Some preschools are attached to a primary school, but many are housed in run-down shacks with poor lighting and ventilation, with very little in the way of toys or supplies. However, the Ministry of Education has been working to improve facilities and provide teacher training in recent years (Government of Vanuatu 2010).
Early childhood education in Vanuatu is not funded by the Government. However, over 500 preschools are monitored by the national preschool association, Vanuatu Eli Jaelhud Asosiesen (VEJA) (formally known as Pri Skul Asosiesen Blong Vanuatu). VEJA is an NGO run by volunteers, and has primarily developed early childhood and preschool education policy and training in Vanuatu known as the Government of Vanuatu, Ministry of Education, Vanuatu Early childhood care and Education policy, August 2010. The Ministry of Education has a National ECE Coordinator and funds preschool coordinators who work closely with VEJA. Parents and communities are often responsible for establishing and managing preschools. There is evidence to suggest that the Government and NGO’s including VEJA are working together successfully in all six provinces. Both VEJA and the Government support teacher-training initiatives (Government of Vanuatu 2010).
The Vanuatu government’s Education Sector Strategy (VESS) states that their development mission is to provide student-centered education that is accessible, relevant, sustainable, responsive, and of good quality. Additionally, as part of the VESS, the government will guarantee every child pre-school and basic education to year 8, including literacy, numeracy, life skills, and livelihood skills. One of the goals resulting from the VESS mission is to develop a national pre-school curriculum and pre-school teacher-training programme during the period of 2007-16 (UNESCO 2008).
