September Newsletter 2024

Nov 1, 2024 | Newsletters | 0

September was full of inspiring progress at Sista!

We recently welcomed five new board members who bring diverse experience in youth leadership, gender equality, and organizational governance. We’re thrilled to work closely with these talented individuals!

In other exciting news, we welcomed Katherine Webber, an Australian Volunteer under the Australian Volunteers Program, who will work closely with Sista’s Program Manager to build on her skills and knowledge for the role. We’re also pleased to welcome Sabrina Tabi as the Communications Officer for the We Rise Coalition!

Sista’s Acting Program Manager and Communications & Advocacy Coordinator kicked off the month in Thailand, representing Vanuatu at the Asia Pacific Feminist Forum. Later, our Program Manager traveled to Niue to attend a Public Finance Management workshop. We’re excited to see the team embrace these learning and networking opportunities across the Pacific.

Keep reading to see all our progress this month!

Projects

Telstar Jimmy – Sista Gat Style, Vanuatu Daily Post

In celebration of International Literacy Day, we are thrilled to spotlight poet and writer Telstar Jimmy in this month’s fashion feature!

Hailing from Motalava in Torba Province and Northwest Malekula, Telstar is a passionate writer, a devoted mother of three teenagers, and the Vanuatu Program Officer for Balance of Power (BOP), a multi-country program dedicated to empowering women in leadership.

When she’s not immersed in her work or family life, Telstar enjoys reading, creative writing, and playing netball, a sport she has loved since her secondary school days. Her style, both professional and personal, is deeply influenced by her mother, who taught her the importance of dressing well for any occasion.

For this feature, Telstar proudly showcases her distinctive fashion sense with outfits designed by G & M, Anna’s Couture, and Christelle Xourel. Her look is a seamless blend of traditional and modern elements, reflecting her pride in her cultural heritage and her strong support for local designers.

Telstar lives by the Central School motto, “Whatever you do, do well,” and her father’s advice, “Go for gold, never be satisfied with silver.” These guiding principles shape her approach to life and fuel her commitment to making a meaningful impact in her community.

#SistaGatStyle #WomanTorba #Poet #CreativeWriter #Mother #Wife #Inspiring #Beautiful

NEW We Rise Coalition Communications Officer

This month we welcome Ms Sabrina Tabi! She has joined the team as the We Rise Coalition (WRC) Communications Officer. She will be stationed with the Sista team at Chuan store building, Freshwater.

Her role will involve connecting with the communications team for the WRC’s partner organizations to collectively disseminate quality, and consistent information to the public and the relevant stakeholders regarding the projects that involves WRC, strengthen the existing

ties with media organizations and news outlets, and keeping the media informed about the coalition’s work in the region, enhancing the visibility of the coalition by communicating results about ongoing projects and messages through media, and also to utilize social media channels to further expand the coalition’s outreach.

She will be overseen by Yasmine Bjornum, Sista’s Executive Director (ED), and Josepheen Tarianga, Sista’s Acting Program Manager, and former We Rise Communications and Advocacy Coordinator, and she will be the lead on the We Rise’s website development.

We Rise is a coalition, compromises of 6 Feminist Organizations from the Pacific region. Its vision is to develop and strengthen feminist coalitions and partnerships to ensure there is inclusive governance, equality, diversity, justice, and women’s human rights.

Program Management Support and Mentor – Australian Volunteers Program

Katherine Webber is an Australian Volunteer under The Australian Volunteers Program. This program supports partner organizations to achieve their development goals by matching them with Australian volunteers who are committed to sharing their skills and knowledge.

Katherine is supporting us through capacity building, and she will be working closely with Sista’s Program Manager by providing her with the skills and knowledge that’s required of the role.

She joined us in September 2024 and will be working with us until April 2025. We’re so excited to learn from Katherine and build up our capacity so that we can continue the work that we do here at Sista!

Asia Pacific Feminist Forum – APWLD and We Rise Coalition

In September, Sista’s Communications and Advocacy Coordinator and Acting Program Manager traveled to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to attend their first Asia Pacific Feminist Forum (APFF) 2024. The APFF brings together feminist organizations from across the Asia Pacific region to celebrate collective achievements, deepen feminist knowledge, and strengthen solidarities. Its goal is to reignite the feminist drive that pushes each organization to continue resisting and working towards change in their respective countries and communities.

Sista had the privilege of representing Vanuatu at APFF 2024 alongside other Pacific organizations, contributing to important discussions on work in the gender space in Vanuatu. Sista’s Acting Program Manager participated in two panel discussions during the forum. On the first day, she joined Nalini Singh, Executive Director of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement; Doris Tulifau, Director and Founder of Brown Girl Woke; and Geraldine Panapasa, Researcher and Independent Journalist, to discuss strategies for advancing feminist positioning within formal justice institutions in the Pacific, under the theme “Fighting Beyond the #MeToo Movement.”

On the second day, she joined Satib Nisha Khan, Founder and CEO of Building Innate Resilience Through Hearts Fiji (BIRTH Fiji), in a panel on “Pacific Feminist Approaches to Access to Justice.” They shared insights from their experiences working in small Pacific Island states, discussing the various efforts their organizations have undertaken to improve access to justice for women and marginalized communities in the region.

The two Sista representatives were honored to be part of APFF 2024 as members of the Pacific delegation, proudly representing Vanuatu, the We Rise Coalition, and the broader Pacific region. Their participation in the forum allowed them to network and leave with vast new learnings.

Public Finance Management Workshop – We Rise Coalition

In September, Sista’s Acting Program Manager attended a Public Finance Managment (PFM) Workshop in Alofi, Niue hosted by the Vaka Pasifika Project. Vaka Pasifika

partnered with the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) for the 7th Pacific Media Summit which took place from 20 to 26 September 2024 in Niue.

Sista’s acting Program Manager was among the 7 journalists and 3 illustrators that were gathered from around the region to boost their skills in reporting on public finance management (PFM). Each of the Journalists as part of this project, over months leading up to the workshop have developed stories around issues stemming from Public Finance mismanagement in their own respective countries. The workshop supported each journalist in understanding the process for budget allocation in each of their countries, good PFM practices each government is encouraged to have, identifying gaps in public finance reporting, understanding the role of media in PFM reporting and how to strengthen this role of media.

This learning opportunity has allowed Sista’s Acting Program Manager to gain a deeper understanding of PFM in Vanuatu, the role of different Government bodies in the process of Budget allocation, tracking and reporting and how Sista can, as a part of media, can help hold Government accountable regarding PFM.

Partnership Review with CARE in Vanuatu

CARE and SISTA have been working together for three years on the Young Women Leadership Program (YWLP), which aim to empower young women in Vanuatu. Sista has also supported

CARE with the Vois Blong Mi (VBM) projects and the Young Men initiative (YMI), which is part of the Young Women’s Leadership Program.

On September 9th, the CARE team and Sista staff convened at the Sista office. The CARE team members present were Leikita Kalorib, Juliet Matansawan, Eriquah Henry, Jemina Kuao and Jackson Ben. From Sista, the attendees included Yasmine Bjornum, Josepheen Tarianga, Sharon Nicholls, Rosina Lore Kaimbang, and Talula-Fay Taribakeo.

The meeting focused on reviewing progress on the VBM project, planning for the upcoming YWLP and YMI cohorts, and ensuring that schedules and timeframes align with Sista’s needs. Key topics also included aligning the Young Women’s 16DOA activities with the YWLP Alumni’s.

Presentation on the work of Sista at Lycee Francais Le Clezio – FRIDA

From September 23rd to October 4th, Lycée Français Le Clézio held its Sustainable Development Fortnight, aimed at raising awareness among students about gender equality and women’s rights. Sista was invited by Principal Francis Baquie to deliver a presentation focusing on our work related to gender equality and empowering women to voice their concerns in important spaces.

Sista’s Communications and Projects team led the sessions, with the support from Katherine Webber. The team conducted two Year 11 classes on the first day and two Year 10 classes on the second day.

The team was glad to be able to see and hear the students engage in discussions and ask questions about the work that we do at Sista. For a lot of them, it was their first-time hearing about Sista, so we’re grateful to have been able to really unpack all of our projects with them.

SHE Can Lead Program – Vanuatu National Youth Council

The “SHE Can Lead” program, organized by the Vanuatu National Youth Council, lasted three weeks in August 2024, and focused on enhancing leadership skills for young women.

Participants learned about life skills, civic education, and community development while practicing debating and public speaking. They also visited the National Parliament House to understand its functions and received training on effective lobbying strategies, supported by Parliament.

This program aims to inspire young women to assume leadership roles in their communities

and governance. Through training, mentorship, and resource access, it empowers them to lead community projects and engage in local governance.

Sista’s Project Officer had the pleasure of attending the graduation of the first cohort. A huge congratulations to all the young women who took part in this program, and to the young women who will follow.

PACMAS Online Media Training – We Rise Coalition
The Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS) conducted a three-day online training for stakeholders from Vanuatu and other Pacific countries throughout the month of September.

The trainings covered three topics: “Making the Best of Facebook” – facilitated by Lara Lauth; “Staying Safe Online” – facilitated by Nicolle White, and “Newsletter Writing” – facilitated by Megan Sander Burns.

Sista’s Project Coordinator and Officer, Comms & Advocacy Coordinator and Officer had the wonderful opportunity to attend these trainings. The sessions aimed to enhance online effectiveness and knowledge in technology. Tankio tumas PACMAS for the learning opportunity!

Petition for Vanuatu National Council of Women – We Rise Coalition

Sista’s Project Officer gathered petition signatures from August to September 2024 to address concerns with the Vanuatu National Council of Women (VNCW). The petition highlighted issues related to governance, transparency, and leadership.

Over three days in late August, she visited schools and community spots in Port Vila to engage discussions around the petition with men, women and young people. Despite a few challenges, the discussions had sparked a sense of unity and solidarity among the public. She plans to scan the signed petitions and submit a report, with plans for follow-up visits to generate more discussions and understanding on the importance of this petition.

Young Men Initiative Intergenerational Dialogue – CARE

This month we partnered with CARE to run a half day intergenerational dialogue for the Young Men Initiative (YMI) Program.

The panel explored and identified the key actions that men can do to be allies in achieving gender equality. The discussion aimed to raise awareness about the importance of gender equality in fostering healthy behaviours, while also highlighting the role of positive male role models and mentors, discuss strategies for addressing and preventing violence.

Having this panel discussion provided a space for intergenerational learning while also sharing insights on raising boys, engaging young men in discussions about healthy masculinity, and strengthen networks between young men and mentors advocating for gender equality.

Sista’s Project Officer represented the team at this panel discussion and she very impressed with what the young men had to share with each other. We look forward to continuing this work with CARE to strengthen our young men and boys, and help them understand that their role in achieving gender equality is just as important.

Power Up – Media Training (Women in Media) with Femlink Pacific

Sista’s Logistics & Procurement Officer, Comms & Advocacy Coordinator and We Rise Communications Officer were invited to attend the two day Media Training for Women in Media in Vanuatu, with Femlink Pacific.

The workshop brought together women from various media organizations in Vanuatu, including representatives from VBTC, Further Arts, the Media Association in Vanuatu, Daily Post, Buzz FM, Brej Pacific, and the Department of Women’s Affairs.

The main goal of this workshop was to empower Vanuatu women in media to fight Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and protect Freedom of Expression, by helping women and girls to have a better understanding on how to access resources and combat technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV).

By training women journalists and others in media, Fem-link aimed to connect them, raise awareness, and help them advocate for policy changes that reduce GBV and give them a stronger voice – Tankio tumas Femlink Pacific for facilitating the two day training, and for Media Association Vanuatu President, Lillyrose Welwel for mobilizing the women in media to attend.

Other News

NEW Sista Board

After doing a call out to identify interested and committed people to be part of Sista board, Junior Pikoune, Sista treasurer and Sista ED were thrilled to receive almost a dozen applicants and selected the following:

Melissa Bule – Vice President of Pacific Youth Council and member of National Youth Council
Selicia Ronolea – Fale Program Manager, VANGO
Alison Harris – Founder and President of WINGS Vanuatu
Rosanna Kiel – Admin and Finance Officer at INCITE
Nimarta Khuman – Gender Specialist

The board members introduced themselves and discussed what should be done to progress gender equality in Vanuatu. Responses included educating men to treat women better, fostering a more inclusive understanding of gender equality, emphasizing movement building, and increasing women’s representation in parliament.

Yasmine provided an update on Sista’s ongoing projects for the remainder of the year and briefly highlighted the key priorities outlined in the Sista Board Revamp document. The next meeting the board will nominate positions. We are grateful to our new board and cannot wait to work with you all!

Strategic Meetings and Consultations

The Executive Director had a busy month engaging in strategic meetings and consultations, starting with a partnership review with IWDA on Sept 2^nd, followed by a consultation with the Pacific Women Lead team for their mid Term Review on Sept 3^rd. She also had the pleasure of meeting Mr Gu Zihua, Charged Affaires of the Chinese Embasy, on Sept 3^rd, to share the work of Sista and better understand the aims of China in Vanuatu. The ED also briefly attended the online Asia Pacific Regional Consultation on CEDAW General Recommendation No. 40 on Sept 4 – 5.

Travel Support

Sista’s Logistics & Procurement Officer played a big role in all the travelling that the Sista team did this month. She helped arrange accommodation for our Acting Program Manager during her transit in Fiji, to the Public Finance Management workshop in Niue. She also ensured she had her New Zealand and Australian Visa cards ready to go before her trip. This time last year, Sista did not have a Logistics Officer to support the team with these kinds of tasks so we are grateful to have her support – and big thanks to CARE for making this happen for us!

Important TO DO’s
This month, the finance team checked off some major to-dos: we filed Sista’s annual report with the VFSC and renewed our membership with the Vanuatu Association of NGOs (VANGO).

This month also marks the end of the financial year with one of our key partners, CARE International. Sista and CARE have been strong allies in promoting gender equality in Vanuatu since 2021, and we’re so grateful for their continued support. THANK YOU CARE for the continuous support, we look forward to strengthening this relationship to generate the change we want to see in our communities.

Sista Office upgrades

During the month of September the Finance officer was able to purchase a new office desk using funds donated by “Olsem wanem.”and “PPAC”! This money helped ensure that the Sista team was equipped to accommodate the growing team, especially with the arrival of Katherine Webber – an Australian Volunteer – who will be here to support us for the next 6 months.

Another purchase was an Electric Fan for the Finance team! If you don’t already know, the Sista team has grown so much that we have had to separate the team into two offices – Programs in one office and Finance in another. This purchase was made possible through big Port Vila International School’s donation – tankio tumas!

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NEWS

‘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
A man from Tanna has been remanded in custody after being charged over the alleged sexual assault of a four-year-old girl at Salili on Efate last week. The accused, identified in a remand warrant as Simeon Tom Yatika, appeared before the Port Vila Magistrates’ Court on 11 August 2026. He is charged with unlawful sexual intercourse, contrary to section 97(1) of the Penal Code [CAP 135]. The prosecution applied for the accused to be held in custody, and the court granted the application. The warrant directs the officer in charge of the Correctional Centre to keep Yatika in custody until his next appearance on 25 August 2026 at 9am. A source close to the Magistrates’ Court said the court was informed that the alleged victim suffered injuries and experienced difficulty using the toilet after the incident. The court also reportedly heard that the accused had been receiving mental health care but had not attended medical appointments for some time. The circumstances surrounding that information remain matters for the court and relevant medical professionals to consider. The allegations have not been tested at trial. The accused has not been convicted and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case has caused concern and renewed public frustration over the protection of children and the handling of sexual offence cases in Vanuatu. Many members of the public are expected to question whether vulnerable children are receiving adequate protection, medical care and support after alleged abuse. The case also comes amid wider criticism from women’s groups over the treatment of child sex offenders and calls for stronger safeguards in decisions involving pardons and accountability. Women’s groups have recently urged the Government to review the presidential pardon process following the pardoning of men convicted of sexually abusing children. Community members have called for the justice system to respond firmly to allegations involving children, while also stressing the importance of allowing the courts to assess the evidence fairly and independently. Under Vanuatu law, sexual intercourse with a child under 13 is a serious criminal offence, with the law providing a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The prosecution must nevertheless prove the charge beyond reasonable doubt before a conviction can be entered. The matter remains before the Port Vila Magistrates’ Court. The child’s identity has been withheld to protect her privacy. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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Cervical cancer preventable, yet a leading cause of death among Vanuatu women August 12, 2026
Minister of Health Robert Bohn said cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among women in Vanuatu, yet it is entirely preventable through vaccination, screening and early treatment. Speaking at the official launch of the Vanuatu National Cervical Cancer Elimination Strategy 2026–2035 yesterday, Minister Bohn said access to these highly effective prevention measures had previously been limited or unavailable in Vanuatu. As a result, women were often diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease, when treatment options were limited and survival rates were lower. Minister Bohn said the launch reaffirmed a collective commitment to ensuring women and girls have access to prevention, screening and treatment services, with their health, dignity and future at the centre of the national effort. “The Vanuatu Strategy aligns with the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem and its 90-70-90 coverage targets: 90 per cent of girls fully vaccinated with HPV by age 15; 70 per cent of women screened with an HPV test or other high-performance test by ages 35 and 45; and 90 per cent of women with cervical pre-cancer treated and women with invasive cancer appropriately managed,” he said. The Minister of Health said the Government of Vanuatu, through this strategy, is reaffirming its commitment to achieving these goals by 2035. Mr. Bohn said Vanuatu now has accessible, culturally appropriate and scalable approaches to prevention, and together the country can make a difference for women and families across the country. “The country has already made significant progress on this pathway, and today I would like to acknowledge the persistence, advocacy and hard work of health and community workers to reduce the preventable burden, incidence, illness and death caused by cervical cancer,” he said. “An opportunistic screening programme has existed since 2008, with national Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-based screening implemented in 2022, and close to 20,000 women screened to date. The hard work of the Vanuatu Ministry of Health, the Vanuatu Family Health Association and the Ikkana Cancer Society has meant that access to screening has been made available across all provinces, with over 3,500 women receiving treatment.” Mr. Bohn said Vanuatu is also protecting girls from cervical cancer through HPV vaccination, with the national HPV vaccination programme beginning in 2023 and 16,412 girls vaccinated to date. He said this ensures that today’s girls grow up protected, empowered and free from a disease that previously often arrived too late for treatment. “With continued awareness and coordinated delivery strategies, communities learn that the HPV vaccine protects their children and they therefore want their children to be vaccinated,” he said. “As we endorse this document, we acknowledge the journey of women and families affected, the conscientious efforts of health and community workers to improve health outcomes and the valued collaboration of international partners which strengthens our progress. “The Strategy presents a roadmap to strengthen and sustain current efforts, prioritising primary health care, public health approaches and people-centred service delivery tailored to the Vanuatu context.” Minister Bohn said sustained progress would require long-term, sustainable financing and continued coordinated efforts across sectors and disciplines to ensure Vanuatu remains on the path to eliminating cervical cancer. He said the Government of Vanuatu is committed to ensuring activities are adequately coordinated, funded and maintained over time. “Government commits to ensuring that no woman is left unseen, no girl unprotected, and no life lost to a preventable disease,” he said. The senior consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology, medical lead for the cervical cancer screening programme and chairperson of the development of the cervical cancer elimination strategy, Dr Boniface Damutalau, said the document launched yesterday provides a roadmap for combating cervical cancer. He said cervical cancer screening began in 2022 using new technologies to detect pre-cancerous lesions, and the launch of the strategy provides guidance for screening, vaccination, treatment and sustainability of the programme through to 2035. “It’s a document that helps us with a roadmap of how we do our screening, our vaccination, our treatment of pre-cancerous lesions, and also it will help us with the sustainability of the programme for the next 10 to 15 years,” he said. Dr Damutalau said available data shows around 18 per cent of women have HPV infection, although he believes the figure could be higher because the hospital continues to see two or three new cervical cancer cases each month. He explained that the best way to prevent cervical cancer is through immunisation of young girls aged around 9 to 14 years and regular screening. Dr Damutalau said screening is the only way to detect cervical cancer early, allowing treatment to begin before the disease progresses. He said Vanuatu can currently treat stage 1 cervical cancer locally, while women with more advanced stages must travel overseas for further treatment. “There are a lot of challenges. I think the biggest ones that we encounter are that Vanuatu is very sparse, with different islands, so there is a lot of geography we have to go through, and human resources are also one of the important things that we combat every day,” he said. “Human resources across ministries are not enough, but we always try to reach as far as where women live, from remote places in the north down to the south.” Dr Damutalau acknowledged the efforts made by women who come forward to clinics for screening. He said there are currently two clinics providing services, one in Port Vila and one in Luganville. Cervical cancer is caused by HPV, and once a woman becomes infected, the virus can change cells on the cervix, causing them to become cancerous. 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 drop out of school August 12, 2026
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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