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Preparing for success: supporting school readiness in the Pacific
60% of Pacific countries have high enrolment rates for pre-primary education, with nine out of 10 children engaging in early learning programmes before starting primary school. However, lower enrolment rates in some countries still pose challenges to children’s readiness for lifelong learning (Status of Pacific Education Report, 2022).
Early Childhood Education and Care (ECCE)
It is widely recognised that while learning begins at home where children acquire many important skills, a seamless transition to formal schooling is necessary for academic success. Within this context, participation in quality early learning programmes plays a critical role as a foundation step in lifelong learning and success.
While the Pacific region has made significant strides in ECCE through increasing pre-primary enrolment rates, implementing national curricula, and improving teacher qualifications, challenges remain. Basic learning levels, particularly in reading, are persistently low, as highlighted by the Pacific Islands Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (PILNA) 2021 results.
School readiness is a critical area of focus, raising questions about how well Pacific education systems are meeting the emerging needs of children. Are children starting primary school prepared to succeed? How can ECCE teachers be better equipped to assess and support students’ developmental progress? Foundational skills acquired at the preschool level are essential, yet the region has historically lacked robust tools to measure and respond to school readiness.
Pilot to Progress
Recognising the need to address critical gaps in early childhood education, the Pacific Community (SPC) in partnership with the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER), regional governments, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and in alignment with the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF), successfully piloted a contextualised School Readiness Tool across eight countries: Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Tuvalu.
This milestone builds on prior foundational work, including the World Bank’s early Human Capability Index (eHCI) in Tonga. The pilot provided ECCE teachers with an eCHI tool to assess, track, and enhance students’ readiness for school, paving the way for improved educational outcomes in the region.
The eCHI tool was chosen for its alignment with broader regional initiatives such as PILNA and the Pacific Assessment for Lower Secondary (PALS), as well as its relevance to SDG 4.2.1 reporting obligations. Designed as a population measure of early childhood development, the eCHI evaluates children aged 3 to 5 across nine key domains, including general verbal communication, numeracy, literacy (reading and writing), cultural knowledge, social and emotional skills, perseverance, and physical health. With 60 dichotomous items, the tool provides a comprehensive snapshot of a child's readiness for primary education, requiring only 10 minutes per child to administer. Having been previously used in Tonga, this contextualised version enables teachers to assess foundational skills critical for school readiness while contributing valuable insights into the impact of early learning on long-term outcomes.
Next Steps
Building on the success of the pilot phase, the project has provided valuable insights into the unique developmental needs of Pacific children aged 3 to 5, supporting their transition into primary school. By refining and contextualising the School Readiness Tool to suit the various contexts in the region, a strong foundation has been established for scaling the initiative.
Moving forward, SPC will partner with interested countries, ministries of education, and teachers to expand the tool’s reach. The aim is to ensure that it remains accessible and practical for classroom teachers, empowering them to foster school readiness and improve learning outcomes across the Pacific.
Contact
Tera Narayan, Communications Assistant, Educational Quality and Assessment Programme (EQAP), Pacific Community (SPC) | [email protected]