13 Jul 2009

Marshalls College gets top marks from U.S. accreditation agency

10:20 am on 13 July 2009

The College of the Marshall Islands has officially overturned its bad performance record by getting approval from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

The Majuro-based college was on the brink of having its U.S.

accreditation terminated and losing the approximately US$4 million of federal funding that is based on meeting U.S. Academic requirements.

But last year, the U.S. Western Association of Schools and Colleges began easing academic sanctions pending against the college.

The College has now been told it has received the maximum recognition possible: a six-year term of accreditation.

The granting of full accreditation to the college also opens the door for the school to launch new academic and vocational programs.

Next month, the CMI is gearing up to launch a 10-week so-called Academic Boot Camp aimed at training 70 non-college students in construction maths, English, work and life skills so they can qualify for basic construction jobs in the Marshall Islands or Guam.