Non-Formal Education (NFE) programmes in Vanuatu are numerous and decentralized. Churches, NGOs, government departments, private industries and the University of the South Pacific (USP) are among the many providers. Most programmes aim at helping women and rural communities. Thus, Rural Training Centres (RTC), where youth gain marketable skills, is an important aspect of Vanuatu’s NFE sub-sector (Government of Vanuatu and UNICEF 2005). The Vanuatu Rural Development and Training Centres Association (VRDTCA) is the umbrella organization for all RTCs (VRDTCA 2011), while the Ministry of Youth Development and Training is the main Government agency that collabourates with NFE providers (UNESCO 2008). However, these programmes are not united by any comprehensive policy, and in most cases do not receive government funding. Rather, most rely on donor aid (Government of Vanuatu and UNICEF 2005).
The main challenge facing the NFE sub-sector is the lack of government resources. Government budget constraints mean most funding is consumed by formal education, while NFE programmes are left to look for other sources of support. The plethora of providers without any common foundation, leads to a general lack of cohesion among NFE programmes. However, since 2004, the Vanuatu Association of Non-Government Organizations (VANGO) has made a concerted effort to create partnerships among NGOS, including NFE providers (World Bank 2010).
