Why young Micronesians are leaving FSM
"Don't just teach your children to read, teach them to question what they read. Teach them to question everything. The value of an education is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think." -- Comedian & social critic George Carlin
In late June, FSM President Wesley W. Simina welcomed Dr. Akihiko Tanaka, president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), to the FSM, marking the first visit by a JICA president.
JICA, the official development assistance agency of the government of Japan, is tasked with “assisting economic and social growth in developing countries and promoting international cooperation.”
During his meeting with Tanaka, Simina addressed the “brain drain” issue in the FSM and expressed hope that FSM students pursuing education in Japan would “return to contribute to their home country.”
However, this idealistic view overlooks practical challenges. Language requirements often deter students from pursuing education in China and Japan. For those who do overcome these language requirements before enrolling in courses, there is no incentive to return home. The same applies to students studying in the U.S., although often without the language hurdles.
Tanaka suggested that “enhancing higher education within the FSM, similar to JICA’s support for the University of the South Pacific (USP),” could help retain talent and attract both local and international students.
JICA’s collaboration with USP includes providing experts for training of fisheries officers in Fiji to “enhance and build the capacity, intellect, skills and abilities of fisheries officers,” curriculum training for teachers, and student teachers who are sent to places like Yap. But these programs do not directly address the core issue of the FSM’s education system: a shortage of qualified teachers.
According to the FSM Department of Education, in 2023 there were 22,866 students and 1,613 teachers nationwide, of which 1,457 were deemed “qualified” with only 164 certified teachers despite a DOE mandate requiring a National Teacher Certificate.
This shortage has resulted in school closures, shorter days and higher ratios of teachers to students and unqualified, unmotivated teachers undermining the quality of education.
The College of Micronesia’s Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education, launched in 2019, has seen low enrollment. The college’s graduation rate is just 23 percent, and only one or two students graduate from the education program every year. Graduates often opt for entry-level government employment that pays more for sitting at a desk and requires minimal work.
Most public school teachers rely on rote learning, which hampers critical thinking. As noted in my June 2023 column, “The Critical Lack of Critical Thinking,” this don’t-ask-questions approach does not foster leadership skills.
Leadership requires the ability to analyze and critically assess information, a skill that is severely lacking among FSM students due to both the education system and cultural norms that discourage children from asking questions.
The Compact of Free Association education money could be better used to increase salaries and invest in hiring educators who can teach critical thinking and mentor students.
FSM students are eligible for Pell Grants that are awarded to “undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need.” Students are also often eligible for full-load scholarships at U.S. universities, but low wages and limited career opportunities in the FSM discourage most from returning home.
However, Chuuk has made strides with a 2010 memorandum of agreement between Chaminade University and the Caroline College and Pastoral Institute (CCPI) in Weno to provide online courses. Chaminade “emphasizes critical thinking and creative problem solving while mentoring students.”
In 2023, 11 students earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and 49 graduated with an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts. In his commencement speech, LJ Rayphand, dean of Outreach Education at CCPI, said the program not only increases the number of individuals with college degrees, but also produces “knowledge and skillful individuals who contribute to the local economy. Most of the graduates now work with the Chuuk State Department of Education as classroom teachers, specialists and program coordinators. And a good number of them have been hired in health-related fields, social services, finance, legal services and, of course, the private sector.”
“I have received complaints about our students leaving the island for their education without enough thought or effort going into focusing on how to entice them back to the islands,” said Michael Wiencek, principal of Yap Catholic
High School. “People give us a hard time about sending graduates off island, but they need to go away to grow and learn. Our focus should be on how we attract them back once they have the education and experience.”
One of Wiencek’s recommendations is to require students obtaining national or local government financial aid to return home after graduation to teach for a period of time – say, two years – in exchange for their scholarships. If they do not return, they must pay it back.
This is like the Teach For America program established in the U.S. in 1989 to "enlist, develop, and mobilize as many as possible of our nation's most promising future leaders to grow and strengthen the movement for educational equity and excellence."
The program recruits college graduates to commit to teaching for at least two years in one of the low-income communities served by the organization. Salaries and benefits, including signing bonuses and housing, are paid by the school district, and new recruits qualify for stipends ranging from $3,000 to $6,500. An additional $3,000 is awarded to Pell Grant recipients.
“This is a sustainable program model that would fill the need for qualified, college-educated teachers and substantially optimize the investments in education made by JICA, the U.S. and other partner nations in the FSM,” said Wiencek. “The FSM must repair its education system if it is to succeed in reaching its goals in economic and social development. Providing meaningful incentives for graduates to return home and contribute to their communities is crucial.”
Joyce McClure is a former senior marketing executive and former Peace Corps volunteer in Yap. Transitioning to freelance writing, she moved to Guam in 2021 and recently relocated back to the mainland. Send feedback to joycemcc62@yahoo.com
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