COVID-19 has amplified the need for Pacific Education systems to invest in their schools’ ICT facilities to support online learning. However, many of these education systems are constrained by factors like their country’s under-developed ICT infrastructure or expensive connectivity.
Recent research has found that at least seven Pacific island countries’ have fully equipped their primary schools with computers. Only two of these countries provide their primary schools with internet connectivity.
Some countries have successfully pursued solutions for the development of ICTs for education. For instance, Fiji charges telecommunication providers a levy to subsidise the costs of its ICT initiatives for education. About 95% of Fiji’s population are connected to a mobile network. Another example is the ‘bring your own device’ policy practised by Samoa’s private schools. The policy allows students a better learning experience and greater access to learning opportunities despite their school's resource constraints.
