Primary Enrollment

The education system in the Marshall Islands is comprised of the following four levels:

  • Pre-school for children in the age group 3-5. This is through a network of Head
    Start Program centers and a few public and private kindergarten programs. There are
    49 Head Start Centers and 16 schools with Kindergarten programs, 3 public and 13 private.
  • Compulsory Primary Education for ages 6-14 through public and private schools. Number of Elementary / Primary Schools is 100, 75 public and 25 private.
  • Secondary education covers the ages of 15-18 through public and private schools. There are 4 public high schools and 13 private high schools.
  • Post Secondary education and training are conducted primarily through the College of Marshall Islands (CMI) and USP-CMI Joint Education Program.

Most of the private schools are affiliated with different churches. The detailed account of schools by area and management including the number of teachers, students by male and female, teacher-student ratios, for the past several years is presented in relevant tables under this chapter.


primary enrollment by grade and gender: 2001/01 to 2004/05
Year Primary Schools
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th Total
Both Sexes
2004/05 1,734 1,361 1,342 1,215 1,276 1,126 1,072 1,155 10,281
2003/04 1,696 1,439 1,279 1,345 1,226 1,292 1,326 1,339 10,942
2002/03 1,504 1,287 1,286 1,242 1,266 1,244 1,322 1,317 10,241
2001/02 1,591 1,390 1,361 1,371 1,517 1,527 1,488 1,556 11,801
2000/01 1,433 1,241 1,310 1,564 1,391 1,574 1,472 1,400 11,103
Males
2004/05 906 722 730 617 633 603 562 596 5,369
2003/04 900 767 634 701 665 668 713 653 5,701
2002/03 801 648 626 667 675 670 662 656 5,405
2001/02 835 727 720 721 873 762 792 774 6,204
2000/01 712 629 655 782 693 787 736 700 5,694
Females
2004/05 828 639 612 598 643 523 510 559 4,912
2003/04 796 672 645 644 561 624 613 686 5,241
2002/03 703 639 660 575 591 574 660 661 5,063
2001/02 756 663 641 650 644 765 696 782 5,597
2000/01 721 612 655 782 698 787 736 700 5,691

Source: Ministry of Education/EPPSO


primary enrollment by grade and gender: 1989/90 to 2004/05
Year Primary Schools
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th Total
Both Sexes
2004/05 1,734 1,361 1,342 1,215 1,276 1,126 1,072 1,155 10,281
2003/04 1,696 1,439 1,279 1,345 1,226 1,292 1,326 1,339 10,942
2002/03 1,504 1,287 1,286 1,242 1,266 1,244 1,322 1,317 10,241
2001/02 1,591 1,390 1,361 1,371 1,517 1,527 1,488 1,556 11,801
2000/01 1,433 1,241 1,310 1,564 1,391 1,574 1,472 1,400 11,103
Males
2004/05 906 722 730 617 633 603 562 596 5,369
2003/04 900 767 634 701 665 668 713 653 5,701
2002/03 801 648 626 667 675 670 662 656 5,405
2001/02 835 727 720 721 873 762 792 774 6,204
2000/01 712 629 655 782 693 787 736 700 5,694
Females
2004/05 828 639 612 598 643 523 510 559 4,912
2003/04 796 672 645 644 561 624 613 686 5,241
2002/03 703 639 660 575 591 574 660 661 5,063
2001/02 756 663 641 650 644 765 696 782 5,597
2000/01 721 612 655 782 698 787 736 700 5,691

Source: Ministry of Education/EPPSO