17 Jun 2005

Marshall's government promises financial support for College

1:08 pm on 17 June 2005

The Marshall Islands government will continue funding the College of the Marshall Islands even if it loses its United States accreditation, and is planning to provide it with an additional half a million US dollars of US Compact money left over from last year's budget.

President Kessai Note has told the college's interim president that the government is firm on its 3 million dollar annual funding support to the institution regardless of its accreditation status.

The college has been on "show cause", the final step before losing accreditation, since last year and is waiting for the U.S. Western Association of Schools and Colleges to decide its accreditation future.

The Association is expected to announce its decision in the next three weeks.

U.S. accreditation brings with it access to about 4 million dollars annually in federal funding, as well as allowing students to transfer credits to American colleges.