2 Apr 2013

US to halt funds for un-certified teachers in Marshalls

5:17 am on 2 April 2013

The United States government has warned the Marshall Islands Ministry of Education that it will not continue to provide funds for teachers who have only high school degrees from 2015.

More than 300 teachers still have only a high school diploma, and the figure has not improved for five years.

Funding from several US government sources is paying salaries for about 130 of these uncertified teachers, as well as about 80 non-teaching staff and administrators

The Marshall Islands Education Minister, Dr Hilda Heine, says she is hopeful the US will continue to provide funding if teachers are on track to get degrees.

She says some teachers have been teaching for 15 or 20 years and have not tried to improve by getting into college.