UNICEF’s Chief of Education, Anna Smeby [left]

Children who don’t attend or have access to pre-primary education are likely to repeat or drop out of school.

A recent global study by the United Nations Children’s Fund shows that most children in Fiji have access to kindergarten but there’s a small percentage who don’t.

UNICEF’s Chief of Education, Anna Smeby says Fiji’s cases are highlighted in the report and they’re working with the Education Ministry to help improve early learning.

“In a country like Fiji, where most children have access to kindergarten due to the Universal kindergarten policy – there is still a small remaining percentage of the population who do not have access and the Ministry here in Fiji is dedicated to identifying what are those barriers to access and resolving those and that’s fully in line with the recommendations of the report.”

She says the report shows that about four in every 10 children in the Pacific are not enrolled in pre-primary school.

UNICEF also notes that good progress on pre-primary education has already been made in a number of countries, including Fiji, Cook Islands, Tokelau, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Kiribati and the Federated States of Micronesia.