Education in Nauru

Education in Nauru

Department of Education
Minister	Charmaine Scotty[1]
National education budget (2011–2012)
Budget	AUD3,071,608[2]
Per student	AUD1000.20–1065.42^A
General details
Primary languages	Nauruan and English
System type	National
Literacy (2011)
Total	96.5
Male	95.7
Female	97.2
Enrollment (2013)
Total	3,196^B
Primary	1,475
Secondary	964
Post secondary	6^C
Attainment (2011)
Secondary diploma	91.2
Post-secondary diploma	4.9
A The national budget for education was for 2011 and 2012. Funding figures were calculated by using the enrollment data from the 2011 and 2012 year.[3] B Includes 751 pre-school students C Data from 2002[4]

Education in Nauru is compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 16. There are eleven schools in Nauru, including three primary schools and two secondary schools (Nauru Secondary School and Nauru College). There is an Able/Disable Centre for children with special needs.^[5] Education at these schools is free. In 2011, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reported that 3,026 children were enrolled at Nauru's schools.^[5] The Minister for Education is the Hon. Charmaine Scotty, MP from 2013.

The Nauru Campus of the University of the South Pacific (USP) is located in Aiwo District, Nauru. USP began teaching remote courses in the 1970s. A local campus was established in 1987. Courses of study focus on the fields of education and business. The campus also serves the broader community through a Continuing education programme.^[6]

A classroom at Nauru Secondary School after refurbishment as part of an Australian aid package to the island state.

Education in Nauru was first formalised by the work of Protestant missionaries in the early twentieth century. The first schools were established by missionary Philip Delaporte, teaching children literacy in the Nauru language. In 1923, the joint administration of the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand made education compulsory and established a curriculum based in the English language.^[7] Australia's AusAID funded an $11 million refurbishment of Nauru Secondary School beginning in late 2007. The project to assist in improving educational performance in Nauru was completed in 2010. Part of the project focused on enhancing Nauruan construction capacity.^[8]

References

1. http://www.naurugov.nr/government/ministries/hon-charmaine-scotty,-mp.aspx
2. http://www.spc.int/nmdi/nmdi_documents/BudgetPaperNauru2011-12.pdf p. 51
3. http://www.spc.int/prism/nauru/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=127&Itemid=258#pre-school
4. http://www.fijichris.gov.fj/docs/66.pdf p. 1.2.1
5. "Nauru: Education support". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia). Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
6. "USP Nauru Campus". Retrieved 2014-06-28.
7. Rapatahana, Vaughan; Bunce, Pauline (2012). English Language as Hydra: Its Impacts on Non-English Language Cultures. Multilingual Matters. pp. 27–28. ISBN 978-1-84769-752-3.
8. "Nauru Secondary School". Reeves International. Retrieved 2014-06-28.

External links

• Department of Education