Girls walk home from school in Bairiki, one of the largest towns in South Tarawa, Kiribati. Credit: Conor Ashleigh / World Bank 2014

Partner since:

Total grant support: US$25,932,226

Grant eligibility:

  • Multiplier
  • System capacity
  • System transformation

Partnership Compact

Priority: Reduce barriers and strengthen equitable and inclusive quality education for all children.

Other key documents

Coordinating agency: Australian High Commission

GPE Team lead: Florian Rabenstein

Contact the GPE team lead

Transforming education in Kiribati

Spread across 3,300 km in the Pacific Ocean, the geographic dynamics of Kiribati pose a challenge to education delivery. While enrollment and retention rates are strong for primary education, enrollment is at 79% for junior secondary and drops to 57% for senior secondary.

With many children not participating in education, the government is working with GPE and other partners to reduce barriers and strengthen equitable and inclusive quality education for all children. As outlined in Kiribati’s Partnership Compact, improving school infrastructure and equipment, including resources to support multiple learning styles and students with special needs, is expected to improve access to learning.

Kiribati aims to strengthen the capacities of teachers and school leaders, focusing on learner-centered and inclusive pedagogical approaches. To boost learning and rates of retention and completion, the overall relevance of education will be strengthened through skills development and community engagement in learning.

Transversal to Kiribati’s efforts to transform its education system are commitments to:

  1. Improve the collection and use of data to inform policy planning and implementation, and
  2. Ensure ICT support and school connectivity for improved education access and teaching.

Key data

10%

out-of-school rate for children of lower-secondary school age

90%

of children start learning one year before entering primary school

90%

of primary teachers have the minimum required qualifications

19%

of government expenditure on education

Grants

(data as of October 08, 2025)

 
  • Type: Multiplier

    Years: 2025 - 2030

    Allocation: US$5,000,000

    Utilization: 0

    Grant agent: ADB

  • Type: System transformation

    Years: 2025 - 2029

    Allocation: US$2,499,993

    Utilization: 0

    Grant agent: UNESCO

  • Type: System capacity

    Years: 2023 - 2028

    Allocation: US$1,000,000

    Utilization: US$470,331

    Grant agent: UNICEF

  • Type: Program implementation

    Years: 2021 - 2026

    Allocation: US$14,997,510

    Utilization: US$4,257,662

    Grant agent: ADB

Latest blogs and news

October 06, 2025
In Kiribati, education is everyone’s business
Support from GPE and partners, through a comprehensive and coordinated approach, is improving the Kiribati's education system, ensuring both teachers and students are equipped with the tools, skills, and...