Education in Nauru is compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 16. There are eleven schools in
Nauru
Nauru ( or ; na, Naoero), officially the Republic of Nauru ( na, Repubrikin Naoero) and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country and microstate in Oceania, in the Central Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Ki ...
, including three primary schools and two secondary schools (Nauru College and
Nauru Secondary School
Nauru Secondary School (abbreviated as NSS) is an upper Government school, public secondary school in the Yaren District, Nauru, located in the Nauru Learning Village, along with the University of the South Pacific Nauru Campus and the Nauru Techn ...
). There is an Able/Disable Centre for children with special needs. Education at these schools is free. In 2011, the Australian
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is the department of the Australian federal government responsible for foreign policy and relations, international aid (using the branding Australian Aid), consular services and trade and inv ...
reported that 3,026 children were enrolled at Nauru's schools. The Minister for Education is the Hon.
Charmaine Scotty
Charmaine Eraidinomo Scotty , Pacific Women in Politics, 9 ...
, MP from 2013.
The Nauru Campus of the
University of the South Pacific
The University of the South Pacific (USP) is a public university, public research university with locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. Established in 1968, the university is organised as an intergovernmental organisation and ...
(USP) is located in Nauru Learning Village
Yaren District
Yaren (in earlier times Makwa/Moqua) is a district of the Pacific nation of Nauru. It is the ''de facto'' capital of Nauru and is coextensive with Yaren Constituency.Aiwo District
Aiwo (rarely Aiue, in earlier times ''Yangor'') is a district in the Pacific country of Nauru. Jarrit Morpak is the city's mayor, elected in 2008. It belongs to Aiwo Constituency.
Geography
It is located in the west of the island. It covers an a ...
. 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
Continuing education (similar to further education in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, Ireland) is an all-encompassing term within a broad list of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United ...
programme.
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
The Nauruan or Nauru language () is an Austronesian language, spoken natively in the island country of Nauru. Its relationship to the other Micronesian languages is not well understood.
Phonology
Consonants
Nauruan has 16–17 consonant ph ...
. 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. Australia's
AusAID
Australian Aid is the brand name used to identify projects in developing countries supported by the Australian Government. As of 2014 the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has been responsible for Australia's official development ...
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.
The Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI) finds that Nauru is fulfilling only 83.9% of what it should be fulfilling for the right to education based on the country's level of income. HRMI breaks down the right to education by looking at the rights to both primary education and secondary education. While taking into consideration Nauru's income level, the nation is achieving 93.5% of what should be possible based on its resources (income) for primary education but only 74.2% for secondary education.
Department of Education (Nauru)
An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pu ...
. Retrieved on July 8, 2018. p. 47 (PDF p. 47).
* Anetan Infant School -
Anetan District
Anetan is a district in the Pacific island nation of Nauru. It lies in Anetan Constituency.
Geography
It is located in the north of the island and covers an area of . It is one of the smallest districts. The population is about 880.
Main sights
...
* Boe Infant School -
Boe District
Boe is a district in the country of Nauru. It is the only district of Boe Constituency.
History
On September 5, 2019, the Pacific Light House Church (Born Again Christian Church) was opened in the district.
Geography
Boe is located in the southw ...
* Meneng Infant School -
Meneng District
Meneng (or Menen) is a district located in the Meneng Constituency in the country of Nauru. The constituency elects 2 members to the Parliament of Nauru in Yaren District, Yaren.
Geography
The district is located in the southeast of the island, c ...
* Nibok Infant School -
Nibok District
Nibok is a district in the island nation of Nauru in the Micronesian South Pacific. It is located in the west of the island and covers an area of 1.6 square kilometres (395 acres). Nibok is a part of the Ubenide Constituency. As of 2011, th ...
Public primary:
*Yaren Primary School -
Yaren District
Yaren (in earlier times Makwa/Moqua) is a district of the Pacific nation of Nauru. It is the ''de facto'' capital of Nauru and is coextensive with Yaren Constituency.Document by the "
OHCHR
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, commonly known as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) or the United Nations Human Rights Office, is a department of the Secretariat of the United Nati ...
. Retrieved on 8 July 2018. "The Education system is 10 schools, there are District Infant schools each ..nd finally Nauru Secondary School (Years 10-12) where compulsory education end at Year 12. .. Years 1 and 2 as of April 2002.Brandjes, Denis (preparer). Page 1 THE COMMONWEALTH OF LEARNING School Networking in the Pacific Island States An Environmental Scan and Plan for the Establishment of Schoolnets for the Pacific Island States " April 2002. p. 49 (PDF p. 51).
*Nauru Primary School - Meneng District - Years 4-6
**The current building opened on October 6, 2016. Canstruct, an Australian firm, built the two-story building, which has eight classrooms. The building, specially designed for Nauruan weather, with ceiling fans and special airflow, may house up to 400 students and is resistant to natural disasters.
*Former: Aiwo Primary School -
Aiwo District
Aiwo (rarely Aiue, in earlier times ''Yangor'') is a district in the Pacific country of Nauru. Jarrit Morpak is the city's mayor, elected in 2008. It belongs to Aiwo Constituency.
Geography
It is located in the west of the island. It covers an a ...
- Years 3 and 4 as of April 2002.
Public secondary:
*Nauru College -
Denigomodu District
Denigomodu is a district in the western part of the island of Nauru. It is the most populous district in Nauru.
It houses the expatriate housing compound "The Location". This makes it Nauru's largest settlement by population. 25.7% of the people ...
- Years 7-9 as of June 2012, years 5-7 as of April 2002
** Nauru College opened as the Denigomodu School in January 2000 as part of the Rehabilitation and Development Cooperation Agreement between Australia and Nauru, agreed in August 1993. As part of the agreement the governments decided to build Nauru College in March 1999. It was initially Nauru's third primary school, but it was transitioned into a junior high school with Form 1, as Nauruan children vie for scholarships at that educational stage.
*
Nauru Secondary School
Nauru Secondary School (abbreviated as NSS) is an upper Government school, public secondary school in the Yaren District, Nauru, located in the Nauru Learning Village, along with the University of the South Pacific Nauru Campus and the Nauru Techn ...
- Yaren District - years 10-12; years 8-12 as of April 2002
Private:
*Kayser College - Ewa District - infant years-year 8; years 1-11 as of April 2002) - A new three classroom building opened on 8 May 2015. the
Nauru Department of Education
Nauru ( or ; na, Naoero), officially the Republic of Nauru ( na, Repubrikin Naoero) and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country and microstate in Oceania, in the Central Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kir ...
gives the school 80% of its funds. It is a Roman Catholic school.
*The Location School (years 1-8 as of April 2002) - Within the "Location" housing development in
Denigomodu
Denigomodu is a district in the western part of the island of Nauru. It is the most populous district in Nauru.
It houses the expatriate housing compound "The Location". This makes it Nauru's largest settlement by population. 25.7% of the people ...
, for expatriate children This is the only school in Nauru which is not English medium.
Special schools:
* Able-Disable Centre in Meneng District
Former non-public:
*
Nauru Regional Processing Centre
The Nauru Regional Processing Centre is an offshore Australian immigration detention facility in use from 2001 to 2008, from 2012 to 2019, and from September 2021. It is located on the South Pacific island nation of Nauru and run by the Govern ...
had its own school, and the Australian government gave a contract in August 2013 to the organisation
Save the Children
The Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, is an international non-governmental organization established in the United Kingdom in 1919 to improve the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic ...