15 Sep 2011

Cooks Islands education system to benefit from NZ and Australian funding boost

5:03 pm on 15 September 2011

The Cook Islands government hopes new funds made available by Australia and New Zealand will allow it to train locals teachers and principals.

At present most staff come from overseas.

The Education Minister in the Cook Islands, Teina Bishop, says he and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard have discussed the benefits of having more locally trained Cook Islanders in the sector.

The Cook Islands is one of 13 Pacific nations that will benefit from a joint Pacific grant offer worth almost 330 million US dollars.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna is not sure how much the Cook Islands will receive.