Island Marshall School

The Republic of the Marshall Islands is a sovereign nation in "free association" with the United States. After more than a decade of negotiation, the Marshall Islands and the United States signed the Compact of Free Association on June 25, 1983. The people of the Marshall Islands approved the compact in a UN-observed plebiscite on September 7, 1983. The U.S. Congress subsequently approved the compact, adding several amendments which were accepted by the Government of the Marshall Islands and the compact entered into force on October 21, 1986. In 1999-2003, the two nations negotiated an amended Compact that entered into force on May 1, 2004. Under the amended Compact, the U.S. will provide the RMI $57 million over the next ten years and $62 million over the following 10 years, and will give Marshallese access to U.S. programs and services throughout. A Joint Economic Management and Financial Accountability Committee (JEMFAC) comprised of representatives of both governments will ensure t ... [Read More]

Report Evaluating the Request of the Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands Presented to the Congress of the United States of America

Exposure: The facts regarding radioactive fallout do not support a request under the "changed circumstances" provision of the section 177 settlement agreement. In its request, the RMI asserts that a far wider area of the Marshall Islands than the northerly atolls and islands that are the focus of the section 177 settlement agreement was exposed to dangerous levels of radioactivity. The weight of expert scientific evidence indicates that the present impact of radioactive fallout on the Marshall Islands is limited to the more northerly atolls and islands. Although some islands may never be suitable for communities or food gathering and should remain off limits, most historically inhabited islands in the northern atolls could be resettled under specific conditions. The section 177 settlement agreement recognized that, within the northern atolls, some islands would be more habitable than others. In the section 177 settlement agreement, the Government of the Marshall Islan ... [Read More]

US Department Of State Post Report

The Marshall Islands has 77 public elementary schools and three public secondary schools. There are 26 private elementary schools and 13 private secondary schools.  Forty-eight Head Start centers throughout the country provide preschool training. Head Start is available to 35% of the 3–5 year olds in the Marshall Islands. In 1999, 84% of elementary school age children and 69% of the secondary school age children attended classes. ...

The Office of Overseas Schools (OOC) has rated the schooling available in Majuro inadequate for all grade levels. Boarding school allowances are available for all school-age children. The nearest location for boarding school is Hawaii. Most of the wealthy Marshallese and Marshallese/American families send their high-school children to private or parochial schools in Honolulu. A Jesuit-run boarding school for boys is located in Chuuk (Truk), farther west in Micronesia. ... [Read More]

Background Notes Archive - East Asia and the Pacific

U.S. Department of StateBackground Notes: Marshall Islands, May 1996Bureau of East Asian and Pacific AffairsPrepared and released by the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Office of Pacific Island AffairsMay 1996Official Name: Republic of the Marshall IslandsPROFILEGeographyArea: 181 sq. km. (approximately 70 sq. mi.) of islands scattered over 500,000 sq. mi. of the Western Pacific; slightly larger than Washington, DC.Cities: Capital--Majuro (pop. 225000). Other cities--Ebeye, Jaluit.Terrain: 29 low-lying coral atolls and islands.Climate: Tropical with a wet season from May to November.PeopleNationality: Noun and adjective--Marshallese.Population (1996 est.): 56,000.Annual growth rate: 4%.Ethnic groups: 90% Marshallese, 10% U.S., Filipino, Chinese, New Zealander, and Korean.Religions: Christian, mostly Protestant.Languages: English; two major Marshallese dialects from Malayo-Polynesian family; Japanese.Education: Literacy (1995)--60%.Health: Infant mortality rate-- ... [Read More]

Background Notes Archive - East Asia and the Pacific

U.S. Department of StateBackground Notes: Kiribati, May 1996Bureau of East Asian and Pacific AffairsPrepared and released by the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Office of Pacific Island AffairsMay 1996Official Name: Republic of KiribatiPROFILEGeographyArea: 719 sq. km. (266 sq. mi.).Capital: Tarawa.Terrain: Archipelago of low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs.Climate: Hot and humid, moderated by trade winds.PeopleNationality: I'KiribatiPopulation (1995): 77,852; Tarawa (1995): 32,356.Annual growth rate (1995): 1.45%Ethnic groups: Predominantly Micronesian, with some Polynesian.Religions: 54% Roman Catholic, 30% Protestant (Congregational), some Seventh-day Adventist, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints and Church of God.Languages: English (official), I-Kiribati.Education (1985): Compulsory through age 11. Literacy--90%.Health (1990): Infant mortality rate--62/1,000. Life expectancy--55 yrs. male, 60 yrs. female.Work force: 7,000.GovernmentT ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: Text: GAO Calls for Accountability over Funds to Island Nations

I am pleased to be here today to provide information you requested regarding economic assistance provided by the United States from 1987 through 1998, under the Compact of Free Association, to the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. In 1986, the U.S. government entered into an international agreement, the Compact of Free Association, with each nation. This Compact represents a continuation of U.S. financial support that had been supplied to these areas for almost 40 years after World War II under the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Specifically, my testimony will address (1) the use of Compact funding by the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, (2) the progress made by both nations in advancing economic self-sufficiency, (3) the role of Compact funds in supporting economic progress, and (4) the amount of accountability over Compact expenditures. My statement will be accompanied by photog ... [Read More]

US Department Of State Post Report

A few stores sell a very limited selection of toys and games. All holiday and party supplies and cards should be shipped, but there are basic paper plates, cups, and utensils available locally. Ornaments and artificial trees should also be shipped. The local hardware stores have a small selection and expensive artificial trees. Sparse, live trees are sporadically offered at high prices.  Basic ServicesLast Updated:  9/30/2002 6:00 PM Kolonia offers several modestly priced seamstresses that provide simple tailoring services for that personalized fit and make curtains to order quickly. A small selection of cotton and tropical print fabrics and sewing patterns and notions are available. Local laundromats are available, but not a dry cleaning service. A few beauty shops are in operation ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: Text: U.S. Seeks to Promote Stability, Growth in Pacific Islands

The Pacific island states have expressed strong support for the U.S. war on terrorism. They have indicated a desire to support the U.S. more effectively, but many do not have the resources or technical expertise to do so. Many of these countries are served by U.S. air carriers or have direct flights to the U.S. Senior legal, law enforcement, and financial regulatory officials representing 14 island state members of the Pacific Islands Forum (12 independent countries and the self-governing New Zealand dependencies of the Cook Islands and Niue) attended the Pacific Island Regional Counter-terrorism (CT) Workshop in Honolulu at the end of March. Legal and law enforcement experts from Australia, New Zealand, and the United States have been working with their island counterparts to improve their border enforcement capabilities and legal infrastructure. Much work remains to be done. In the near future we plan to notify Congress of our intent to finance a project through the Secretariat ... [Read More]

IEW Events > United States

Kent Gardens School has a large international poplation and they have invited students from five different countries to talk about how going to school in their country is different from their school experience in the U.S. Kent Gardens students also exchange correspondence with students at our "sister school" Yena Issa, near Bamako in Mali. They have collected several boxes of school materials for the 120 student school in Mali and with the help of Mr. Schroder at TNT, these boxes were shipped free of charge. The school is currently looking for grants to be able to send two of our teachers to Mali as part of our staff development. Every year in January/February, Kent Gardens welcomes a number of teacher interns (last year, there were twelve) from the Institut Universitaire de Formation des Maitres in Lyon, France for a month of exposure to the American school system and way ... [Read More]