Rural schools face unsustainable staffing levels due to declining enrollment, with more than three-fourths serving small, dispersed communities. The Republic of the Marshall Islands Public School System (PSS) is comprised of 86 schools, of which 77.9% are located in rural outer island communities.
These micro-enrollment patterns have intensified over the past decade due to outmigration and teacher shortages on outer islands. Schools face inconsistent resource allocation, uncredentialed teachers, unsuitable facilities, and lack of age-appropriate learning materials.
Pacific East CC is partnering with the RMI Ministry of Education Sports and Training (MOEST) to implement coordinated strategies including needs assessment, evidence-based policy development, multi-age instructional guidelines, teacher training materials, curriculum standards for multi-age classrooms, and enhancement of online connectivity.