Education in the Solomon Islands

Students in Solomon Islands. Credit: World Bank East Asia and Pacific Region

Partner since:

Total grant support: US$18,137,039

Grant eligibility:

  • Multiplier
  • Multiplier and Girls' Education Accelerator
  • System capacity
  • System transformation

Partnership Compact

Priority: Strengthen and reform the foundations for improved quality teaching and learning, incorporating a gender equality and inclusion lens.

Other key documents

Coordinating agency: New Zealand High Commission

GPE Team lead: Daisuke Kanazawa

Transforming education in the Solomon Islands

The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Department (MEHRD) has been responsible for leading on the education goals of the National Development Strategy (2016-35) and the Education Strategic Framework (2016-30). The ESF is planned to be implemented through three, five-year rolling plans (NEAPs).

There is evidence that MEHRD’s central strategy, planning, budgeting, procurement and monitoring and evaluation has become much stronger and better organized over the past five-year period. At the provincial level, financial and school grants management remain a problematic area. Teacher management, school leadership and support are identified as areas requiring improvement at central, provincial and school levels.

The education sector in the Solomon Islands has 1,050 schools, 284 registered early childhood education centers, and around 280 unregistered centers also operating.

Long term trends show late age entry into school, high over-age enrollments, high levels of repetition in primary, low survival rates across the school years, provincial difference in correct age enrollments and gender parity inequities, along with infrastructure shortages.

Most students leave school before senior secondary. Known contributing factors to students leaving school early include infrastructure shortages, fees and other costs, parent/student choice, lack of nearby schools, and the current curriculum, which has an academic focus.

The country has seen improving levels of student achievement over the years. The Solomon Islands Standardized Test for Achievement (SISTA 2017) shows an overall literacy of 69% of students at or above the expected level and 71% for numeracy. However, there are considerable differences across provinces and between school types with students in urban centers significantly out-performing rural and isolated students.

Girls and boys show little difference in numeracy results, though girls perform better on literacy. Similarly, there are welcomed trends of improvement in both literacy and numeracy for children when compared to the region in the Pacific Islands and Numeracy Assessment (PILNA).

Learn more about the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF)

Grants

(data as of March 18, 2024)

 
  • Type: System capacity

    Years: 2024 - 2027

    Allocation: US$1,478,483

    Utilization: 0

    Grant agent: UNICEF

  • Type: Program implementation

    Years: 2021 - 2024

    Allocation: US$14,997,510

    Utilization: US$887,272

    Grant agent: ADB

Civil society engagement

As part of its investment in civil society advocacy and social accountability efforts, GPE’s Education Out Loud fund is supporting the Coalition for Education Solomon Islands (COESI) for the 2020-2023 period. This builds on previous support from the Civil Society Education Fund (CSEF).

Learn more

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