New classrooms and qualified WASH Technicians for TAFEA Province

Aug 18, 2025 | Initiatives and Projects, News | 0

Australia and Vanuatu’s cultural connections were strongly evident on the ground in Tanna over the past two weeks, with the National Arts and Culture Festival, the launch of two newly built classrooms, the graduation of 49 Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) technicians, the opening of a new fencing at the Nikoletan Council of Chiefs compound, and the united efforts in disability inclusion and decentralisation.

“It’s fantastic to be here on beautiful Tanna for the National Arts and Culture Festival. But for me, it’s even better to have the chance to celebrate projects that are making a real difference to the lives of people here.” the Australian High Commissioner to Vanuatu, Max Willis said. “We support the Vanuatu Government’s determination to ensure services and opportunities reach the people of Tanna, and the other provinces, under decentralisation.”

High Commissioner Willis joined distinguished members of the Vanuatu Government, Opposition and TAFEA Provincial Government at the official opening of two new classrooms at Yenumakel  Primary School on Friday 1 August 2025. Built with local contractors to the Ministry of Education and Training’s (MoET) cyclone and earthquake resistant standards, the classrooms provide a safe, resilient learning environment for children in South Tanna.

During the opening of the classrooms, Minister of Education and Training  Simil  Johnson announced that Australia-supported renovations would continue for classrooms across Vanuatu, including at the Port Resolution and Ipekel Primary Schools on Tanna.

In his remarks, Minister Johnson acknowledged Australia for its ongoing support to Vanuatu’s education sector. He said, “Education is the key to rebuilding lives and communities. These classrooms are more than just buildings – they represent hope, resilience, and the future of Vanuatu’s children.”

The High Commissioner also joined Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Rick  Tchmako  Mahe at the graduation ceremony for 49 new WASH technicians.

These students, including seven women and two people with a disability, graduated with a Certificate II in Plumbing, delivered by the Pacific Vocational Training Centre, with support from MoET, Department of Water Resources, the Australia-funded Vanuatu Skills Partnership (VSP), TAFEA Provincial Government and Area Administrators and the communities of West Tanna. The cohort of graduates reflected strong representation from across the province, with participants from Tanna, Aniwa, Futuna and Aneityum.

The ceremony also celebrated the success of earlier training efforts in SANMA, PENAMA and MALAMPA through the relevant provincial Skills Centres, where past graduates have gone on to establish successful plumbing and construction businesses, driving local economic growth and decentralisation of services.

Speaking at the event, Minister Mahe complimented Australia’s support in upskilling WASH technicians across Vanuatu, and congratulated the graduating cohort. “Congratulations to the 49 WASH technicians and your newly acquired skills. Your skills are a testament to the longstanding partnership between Vanuatu and Australia in the skills development sector, to ensure many ni-Vanuatu citizens are well equipped to respond to any disasters.”

To commemorate the 2025 National Arts Festival on Tanna, Australian High Commissioner Willis joined the Minister of Justice, Youth and Community Services Job Andy and the President of the Nikoletan Council of Chiefs Peter Marcel to officially open a new security fence for the Nikoletan Council of Chiefs compound.

The fence, constructed by recent graduates of the Australia-funded VSP Certificate II in Building Construction programme, will safeguard the Council of Chiefs Nakamal and the TAFEA Handicraft Hub.

During the event, High Commissioner Willis and Minister Andy witnessed the signing of a new Partnership Agreement between VSP and the Ministry of Justice, reinforcing a long-standing collaboration on disability inclusion.

Ending events for that day, Minister Mahe launched an Australia-supported film on the benefits of decentralising flexible skills training across Vanuatu.

High Commissioner Willis congratulated the Government of Vanuatu and TAFEA Province for these significant milestones and reaffirmed Australia’s support for the Vanuatu Government’s decentralisation goals.

“Vanuatu and Australia have worked together in the education and skills sectors for over 20 years. We are so pleased to support the Government of Vanuatu to bring these essential services to the provinces and outer islands,” the High Commissioner said. “Today’s celebrations mark a big development for the people of TAFEA and Vanuatu, and we’re very proud to be a partner.”

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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‘The scars children carry can last a lifetime’ August 13, 2026
Amid the public outrage and questions over the President’s recent pardoning of convicted rapists and the alarming increase in child abuse cases in Vanuatu, the REACH Family Centre is calling on Parliament to pass the proposed Child Protection Bill, saying stronger laws are needed to hold people who abuse children accountable. Every day at the REACH Family Centre, Mansen Roy and Salokie Narfi work alongside children experiencing challenges no child should face. Some are struggling with overwhelming stress. Others are navigating violence at home, bullying, online harm and the fear of speaking out. For Narfi, a counsellor and group work practitioner for children and adolescents, the hardest part is seeing how many suffer in silence. “Children want to come for help, but they are scared of the consequences,” she says. “Some are afraid their parents will find out. Others are afraid nobody will believe them.” Using drawing, play therapy and other child-friendly approaches, Narfi helps children express emotions they cannot find the words for. She remembers one child who repeatedly blacked out at school. “Through counselling, the child understood the emotional pain carried,” she says. “The mother also received counselling. Today that child is brighter, more confident and looking forward to the future.” But not every story has such a hopeful ending. Roy, REACH’s Acting Executive Director, says many of the challenges children face are made worse by gaps in protection and understanding. “Violence against children remains one of the biggest issues,” he says. “We should teach, guide and love children,” he says. “Wrong treatment can create trauma that children carry for their whole lives, like a scar that never goes away.” Against this backdrop, REACH is pushing for the proposed Child Protection Bill to reach Parliament and become law. Both Roy and Narfi say the legislation would strengthen their work by creating a clearer approach to responding when children are at risk of serious harm, including sexual abuse. It would also help place children’s wellbeing at the centre of decision-making. “This Bill will support our work in the field,” Mansen says. “The justice system punishes perpetrators, but what about the survivors? Children also need healing, psychological support and protection to move forward into the future.” Narfi says the law would also ensure serious cases of abuse are recognised early and responded to properly. “Children are the future of the country,” she says. “If this Bill passes, we can build a stronger Vanuatu with children who are supported, protected and able to become the future leaders of our nation.” REACH is one of the few organisations in Vanuatu providing holistic support to entire families, working with mothers, fathers and children together because lasting change begins at home. Yet the demand for counselling and mental health support continues to grow, while resources remain limited. Roy believes passing the Child Protection Bill is no longer simply a legal decision – it is a moral one. “Child protection affects everyone because every one of us was once a child,” he says. For the children who are too frightened to speak, and for those still carrying invisible scars, the time to act is now. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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Man remanded over alleged sexual assault of four-year-old girl August 13, 2026
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Dr Damutalau said most HPV infections clear naturally, but some remain and can increase the risk of cervical cancer. He said about 90 per cent of cervical cancers are linked to HPV, which is why vaccination and early screening are important. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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More boys than girls are dropping out of secondary schools in Vanuatu, with TORBA Province recording the highest dropout rate. Boys are repeating grades more than girls at both primary and secondary levels across all provinces, and TORBA Province again has the highest repetition rate. These findings were conveyed by the Director of Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), John Gideon, in his presentation to set the tone for discussions at the National Education Forum in Port Vila. He said more boys are leaving school for reasons beyond the classroom, such as the cost of education, distance to school and boarding challenges. In 2016, Vanuatu came up with a policy requiring children to start formal primary school at age 6. Director Gideon revealed that the net enrolment rate has been declining since 2023, with girls recording a higher rate while boys’ participation remains lower. Girls also recorded higher gross enrolment rates than boys at every level. Director Gideon also mentioned that the education system is not retaining students, especially at the secondary level. He said about 41 out of every 100 children who start Year 1 remain in school by Year 6, and only about 5 out of every 100 continue through to Year 13. Director Gideon highlighted that the number of early childhood centres has decreased since 2022, primary schools have remained stable, while secondary schools have grown the most, with 67 new schools established since 2015. “There are over 5,400 teachers, but they are not where the students are,” he said. SHEFA, TAFEA and SANMA have the most senior secondary schools, while TORBA faces a severe shortage of junior secondary teachers. Director Gideon encouraged participants at the forum to examine what the data reveals about boys’ engagement in the education system, how to increase enrolment in early childhood and the relationship between enrolment and student progress. Currently, 104,510 students are enrolled across more than 1,000 registered schools in Vanuatu. However, Director General Cherol Ala pointed out that not all children are in school, highlighting the need to improve access, enrolment and participation. While literacy and numeracy outcomes continue to decline, she said monitoring of the nationwide Curriculum Improvement Program (CIP), launched last year, is showing improved outcomes in student learning. Other challenges she mentioned include student and teacher attendance, high dropout rates, limited access to formal training and qualifications, school infrastructure, access to schools and rolling out internet connectivity. She reminded everyone about the ministry’s mission to provide young people with lifelong skills, values and confidence to become self-reliant and contribute to development. Throughout the four-day National Education Forum, government leaders, educators and partners have discussed what has not worked and what needs to be done to improve education outcomes. The forum ends today. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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Vanuatu’s education crisis a ‘national disaster’ – Pikinini Playtime CEO August 12, 2026
Pikinini Playtime founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tony Batten has described Vanuatu’s education situation as a “national disaster”, warning that poor literacy outcomes among children could affect the country’s future development. Speaking during an interview on Kava Mo Kajap, Mr. Batten said reports that around 70 per cent of children are unable to read and write at the expected level should be treated as a serious national concern. “I think it is a national disaster, like a hurricane or an earthquake,” Mr. Batten said. He said Vanuatu’s greatest resource is not its land or natural resources, but its people, and education is the foundation needed to develop that human resource. “Human resources are the number one resource for Vanuatu,” he said. Mr. Batten said countries that have successfully moved from being less developed to more advanced economies have done so by investing heavily in education and building a skilled population. However, he said Vanuatu’s current education results remain a major concern despite the country spending a significant amount of its national budget on education. “Vanuatu gives a lot of money per capita into education, but the results are still among the lowest in the Pacific,” he said. The Pikinini Playtime founder said the challenge is not only about funding but about how the education system delivers results. He questioned why many students continue to leave school without basic reading and writing skills despite years spent in classrooms. Mr. Batten said the impact of poor education outcomes can also be seen in the country’s workforce, where businesses often recruit skilled workers from overseas to fill positions. “We bring people from the Philippines and other countries to do accounting, bookkeeping, management, building and supervisory work, but many ni-Vanuatu are not able to take those opportunities because they do not have the basic education,” he said. He said the literacy issue must be addressed early because children who fail to develop strong reading skills in their early years often struggle throughout their education journey. Mr. Batten also raised concerns about the value placed on education within the system. He said teacher absenteeism, weak accountability and a lack of support for educators contribute to children losing confidence in learning. “When children see that school is not important, they begin to believe they don’t need school,” he said. Mr. Batten acknowledged that many teachers are working under difficult conditions but said the system needs stronger support, training and leadership to improve outcomes. He believes improving education requires everyone involved — government, schools, teachers, principals and parents — to work together. “Children are smart. They have the ability. But they need the right support and the right opportunities,” he said. Mr. Batten said addressing literacy must become a national priority because the future of Vanuatu depends on the quality of education provided to today’s children. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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