This is the Kiribati Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) 2012-2015. The plan is linked to the Government of Kiribati Development Plan 2008–2011 Key Focus Area 1: Human Resources Development. It is aimed at consolidating and strengthening the 2008-2011 ESSP which was reviewed in October 2011. The review confirmed that the 2008-2011 ESSP, its six goals and 41 strategies which were developed in response to challenges facing the education sector identified by the National Education Summit in 2008, are still very relevant. The strategies completed under the 2008-2011 ESSP have been developed further and taken to the next stage of implementation and those strategies that are not completed have been re-looked at, strengthened and included in this ESSP. This ESSP not only consolidates and continues the work done under the previous ESSP but also proposes a few additional strategies which together with the strategies in the previous ESSP are all aimed at improving the quality of educational services to better prepare the young people of Kiribati to take their place in a changing national, regional and global environment. This Plan reflects Kiribati’s commitment at the international level for better and equitable education outlined in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG): Objective 2 and detailed in the six Education For All (EFA) goals. It also reflects Kiribati’s regional commitments to the principles of the EFA goals outlined in the Forum Basic Education Action Plan (FBEAP) endorsed by the Forum Education Ministers in 2001, and the ensuing Forum Pacific Education Development Framework (PEDF) endorsed by Forum Education Ministers in 2009. This ESSP is also aligned with the Kiribati Development Plan (KDP) 2012-2015, currently under development. The EFA and PEDF seek “to ensure basic education of quality for all, regardless of gender, wealth, location, language or ethnic origin” and acknowledge that “successful education programmes require: (1) healthy, well-nourished and motivated students; (2) well-trained teachers and active learning techniques; (3) adequate facilities and learning materials; (4) a relevant curriculum that can be taught and learned in a local language and builds upon the knowledge and experience of the teachers and learners; (5) an environment that not only encourages learning but is welcoming, gendersensitive, healthy and safe; (6) a clear definition and accurate assessment of learning outcomes, including knowledge, skills, attitudes and, values; (7) participatory governance and management; and (8) respect for and engagement with local communities and cultures.” The 2009 PEDF addresses this, the EFA or basic education agenda which covers the foundation of education, and more importantly, covers a second component, the training/employment/economic agenda for education. This second component addresses a priority need in the region including in Kiribati. 3 Development of this 2012-2015 ESSP has involved extensive national consultation over many years in Kiribati and incorporates the outcomes from the National Education Summit conducted in January 2008, and the National Summit on the Kiribati Development Plan and Climate Change held in May 2011. It also takes on board outcomes of work and studies done in the Ministry relating to the implementation of the 2008-2011 ESSP under the Kiribati Education Improvement Program (KEIP) and the outcomes of a review of the last ESSP completed in October 2011. The Ministry’s thinking on the shape and form of this Plan was presented to a Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on the Review of the ESSP 2008-2011 held in September 2011 with participation from the Kiribati National Council of Churches, Church school providers (CEDAK), Kiribati National Teachers Union, the School of the Disabled, the National Disability Organisation (Toamatoa), National Women’s Organisation (AMAK), Head Teachers and Principals of primary, junior and senior secondary schools, Mayor of the Teinainano Urban Council, representative of the Betio Town Council and the National Planning Office, the University of the South Pacific, stakeholder Ministries and development partners. The consultation endorsed the Ministry’s view that the education challenges identified by the 2008 Summit still very much prevailed and in some instances have grown in severity requiring immediate remedial action, and that the 2008-2011 ESSP, its six goals and strategies which were developed in response to the challenges facing the education sector identified by the National Education Summit in 2008, are still very relevant. In setting its strategic directions for the next four years the Ministry has taken on board lessons learnt from the implementation of the ESSP 2008-2011, both impediments and factors leading to successful implementation of strategies in support of the six goals of the Plan.