Program Profile
Volunteers have been serving in the Marshall Islands since 2002. The government of the Marshall Islands funds WorldTeach volunteer positions in order to have native speakers teach English in their primary, middle and secondary schools. The new government is very serious about tackling the considerable educational challenges facing the tiny island nation. UNICEF reports that their educational levels are the lowest of the 14 Pacific nations tested.
Recently, new national curricula and standards have been adopted as part of a vigorous attempt at educational reform, to which WorldTeach volunteers have a unique opportunity to contribute. We have seen considerable student progress on the High School Entrance tests as a result of our volunteer initiative.
Volunteer Role
Marshallese is the native language, but English is commonly spoken throughout the islands. Since 2001, the country policy has been that English will be the primary language of instruction from Grade 1. Primary education is compulsory for Grades 1-8, yet many children are out of school. Many do not attend high school, and only a few enter college.
Following a month of in-country orientation, volunteers will teach for one academic year at their assigned school. The school year begins in late August and runs through late May.
Volunteers teach in public elementary schools, high schools, and occasionally vocational schools in Majuro and on the outer islands.
Volunteers should be prepared for the challenges of teaching in the Marshalls. Schools on the outer islands lack basic supplies. Volunteers often purchase pens, paper, and markers before leaving for the country. Furthermore, volunteers may have to teach students with a wide range of English skills. While these circumstances may be frustrating at first, successful volunteers will be adept at finding solutions that enable them to teach effectively despite the limited resources of the islands.
Please note that only volunteers teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language in the Marshall Islands (mainly volunteers on the outer-islands) will be eligible for WorldTeach TEFL certification. For all departures leaving on or after July 1, 2012, an additional $500 is required by volunteers to participate in the TEFL Certification program.
Placements & Housing
The Marshall Islands program is almost two different programs rolled into one. All volunteers teach English in public schools around the country. Outside of that one united theme, the volunteer experience depends on placement. An urban placement on Majuro, the capital atoll, or Ebeye, an island that serves a U.S. military base, is defined by the city and its influence. An outer island placement on a remote atoll will be defined by the confines of the island and all that is lacking.
Volunteers in urban placements usually live in teacher housing on or very near the school. The housing is basic but satisfactory. Urban volunteers have access to supermarkets, internet, telephones and other modern convenience. Their classes tend to be larger and more advanced. They have access to a variety of food and usually cook for themselves.
The outer islands are a very different story. Pristine and remote, these placements are in small communities living on atolls that have remained largely untouched by modernity. Life here is beautiful and very difficult. Internet and telephones are largely the stuff of dreams. Necessities as basic as water can be hard to come by. Food consists of fish from the lagoon and fruit that can be grown on the island. Volunteers live with a host family who provides a doorway into the complex and all consuming social structures that allow these communities to function. Classes are smaller and usually not as advanced. School supplies are limited at best. The outer islands are, by all accounts, a true adventure.
Financial Information
This program is fully-funded by the Marshall Islands' Ministry of Education. This generous funding covers the costs of pre-departure information and preparation, round-trip international airfare from a US departure city, one month in-country orientation, health insurance for volunteers aged 18-49, meals and housing during orientation and throughout your teaching service, and 24-hour in-country support. There is a $2,000 required deposit which will be refunded to volunteers upon completion of the program. During your stay, you will receive a monthly stipend to cover some of your daily living and teaching expenses
Read more about our costs and services.
requirements
- native-level English ability
- hold a bachelor's degree by the program's departure
- between 21 and 60
- an extreme level of flexibility and coping ability, maturity, a genuine interest in teaching