2 Jun 2003

Concerns over the academic results being achieved by high school students in the Marshall Islands an

12:32 pm on 2 June 2003

There are concerns over the academic results of high school students in the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia.

The Dean of student services at the College of the Marshall Islands says fewer than ten per cent of high school students from the two countries can meet the requirements to attend college level courses.

The Dean, Richard Bruce, has called for a major refocusing of effort by the government to improve education standards in the Marshall Islands.

Mr Bruce says educational achievements are a matter of priorities, pointing to Palau, where two million US dollars is given to the Community College each year.

He says educational achievements in Palau are well known.

In contrast, the Marshall Islands government allocates 800 thousand US dollars a year to its College.