This initiative responds to long-standing education challenges linked to the country’s geographic dispersion, limited infrastructure, and uneven access to quality teaching and learning resources across its islands. Through the strategic use of ICT, the project aims to strengthen teaching quality, improve education system management, and ensure that all learners, including those in the most remote communities, can access relevant and inclusive education opportunities.
Financed through the GPE System Transformation Grant (STG), the four-year project is implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Education, with UNESCO serving as the Grant Agent and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), through the Australian High Commission, acting as the GPE Coordinating Agency.
The project aligns with Kiribati’s Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP 2024-2027) and ICT in Education Master Plan (2021-2025), supporting the country’s commitment to equitable quality education in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4 and priorities identified through Kiribati’s Partnership Compact.
The STG project represents more than an investment in technology. It is an investment in our people, our teachers, and the future of Kiribati. Through ICT, we are working to make education more accessible, inclusive and resilient, while ensuring that all learners, including those in our most remote communities, have the opportunity to succeed.
The official launch ceremony, held at Bairiki Square in Tarawa, brought together senior government officials, development partners, education stakeholders, and representatives of the international community, demonstrating strong national leadership and coordinated support for Kiribati’s education reform agenda.
Teachers and learners are at the centre of the project. Teachers will receive targeted training and digital tools to strengthen inclusive, learner‑centred pedagogy, while students will benefit from improved access to digital learning resources that support engagement, resilience, and better learning outcomes.
The project also includes a significant investment in resilient ICT infrastructure, including solar‑powered digital systems, internet connectivity, and digital devices adapted to Kiribati’s island context. This approach aims to connect schools across Kiribati’s outer and remote islands and bridge longstanding gaps between main-island and outer-island schools.
Distance and isolation must not limit opportunity. GPE is proud to partner with Kiribati to strengthen its education system through smart use of technology, better teaching support, and stronger data, so every child, on every island, can learn, thrive, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
A core pillar of the reform is the strengthening of the Kiribati Education Management Information System (KEMIS), enabling improved tracking of infrastructure, teacher deployment, training, and student outcomes. Enhanced data systems will support evidence‑based planning, fairer resource allocation, and sustained monitoring of progress across the education sector.
Reflecting UNESCO’s commitment to system‑level transformation, Sardar Umar Alam, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Pacific States said:
Through the System Transformation Grant, UNESCO is supporting the Government of Kiribati to strengthen ICT‑enabled teaching and learning, improve education data systems, and expand access to quality education across the country’s dispersed islands. Working closely with the Government of Kiribati, GPE and other development partners, UNESCO remains committed to supporting effective implementation and strengthening national capacity to promote inclusive and equitable learning opportunities.
Sardar Umar Alam, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Pacific States
The project will be rolled out through a phased approach, beginning with selected model schools that will pilot ICT infrastructure, inclusive digital teaching practices, and strengthened data systems. Lessons learned will help inform national standards and future scale-up across the country.
Gender equality, disability inclusion, and reaching learners in remote and underserved communities are embedded across all components of the programme. Improved data collection and analysis will help ensure that resources are directed where they are most needed and that reforms benefit all learners.
Highlighting the broader long-term impact on education quality and future skills development, H.E. Mark Foxe, High Commissioner of Australia to Kiribati, said:
Beyond ICT infrastructure, the initiative will play a critical role in enhancing students’ knowledge, skills, and familiarity with emerging technologies. By making teaching and learning more engaging and interactive, it will equip students with essential skills that are increasingly in demand in today’s world. Ultimately, these efforts will contribute to improved learning outcomes, in line with the priorities outlined in the Kiribati Ministry of Education Sector Strategic Plan 2024-2027
H.E. Mark Foxe, High Commissioner of Australia to Kiribati
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/kiribati-launches-us25-million-ict-driven-education-reform-global-partnership-education-and-unesco
