Published on and written by Cyril Jarnias
The Solomon Islands is not the first destination that comes to mind when talking about international schools. Yet, beyond the image of turquoise lagoons and remote villages, the country has developed a small but solid network of institutions capable of providing a world-standard education. For expatriate families based in Honiara, as well as for Solomon Islander parents ready to invest in their children’s future, these schools represent an alternative to a public system still weakened by lack of resources, geographical dispersion, and a shortage of qualified teachers.
Two institutions dominate the international education offering in Honiara: Woodford International School, recognized for its IB and Cambridge programs, and New Hope Academy, prized for its values-based approach, financial accessibility, and pedagogical innovation. The landscape is complemented by historic secondary institutions like King George VI School, which serve as reference points.
Understanding this micro-ecosystem requires placing it within the country’s educational context: schooling is not compulsory, completion rates remain fragile, and a government that, despite a high budget commitment, struggles to provide quality education everywhere. It is precisely in this gap that the best international schools in the Solomon Islands have found their niche.
A Strained Education System, Fertile Ground for International Schools
Education remains one of the major national challenges. Schooling is not legally compulsory and less than 60% of children start primary school. Among those who enter Year 1, just over seven in ten complete the primary cycle. The transition to secondary school is equally delicate: gross enrollment rates are around 32% for boys and 27% for girls.
The education system, structured as 6 years of primary and 7 years of secondary, aims for 9 years of free and compulsory basic education. However, the country’s archipelagic geography, with over a thousand often isolated islands, makes access difficult for many children. To address this, authorities have established “satellite schools” to bring classrooms closer to remote communities.
Despite these efforts, nearly one in five children of primary school age remain out of school, with a slight overrepresentation of girls among the non-enrolled. The challenges are well-known: distances, indirect costs, lack of safety on some routes, but also family pressure to contribute to agricultural or fishing tasks. Yet the country devotes a significant portion of its resources to education: around 31% of the national budget and about 13% of GDP, with notable support from Australia and New Zealand via the Education Sector Support Program.
While public schools dominate, a private, religious, and international segment has developed, notably in Honiara. These schools receive public per-student subsidies and can charge additional fees within the legal framework. International schools, targeting expatriates and the local elite, also serve as pedagogical laboratories, their innovations eventually influencing the entire education system.
Woodford International School: The Solomon Islands’ IB and Cambridge Benchmark
It is hard to talk about international education in the country without starting with Woodford International School. Located in Honiara on the Kukum/Prince Philip Highway, not far from the Solomon Islands National University campus, the school unapologetically claims the status of the country’s “premier educational choice.” The school’s history sheds light on the evolution of modern education in the archipelago.
From Small Point Cruz School to IB World School
Founded in the mid-1950s, the school opened in a building in Point Cruz, central Honiara, with about a dozen students. It was then called Honiara International School. In the 1970s, it was integrated into the National Development Plan, with the stated ambition of introducing primary education aligned with international standards to attract foreign investment and expertise.
After independence in 1978, the United Kingdom funded the construction of new buildings. The school moved to its current site in 1979. A year later, a legally established Board of Management composed of parents marked the transition to autonomous governance. In 1989, the institution was renamed Honiara International School, before taking its current name, Woodford International School, in the 1990s, in honor of Sir Charles Woodford, the first British governor of the Protectorate.
The year the school obtained official authorization to offer the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP).
An Independent, Non-Profit, State-Recognized School
Today, Woodford International School is an independent, non-profit school covering the entire journey from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12. It is simultaneously:
– An IB World School for the PYP
– A Cambridge International School (Lower Secondary, IGCSE, AS/A Levels)
– A recognized educational authority by the Ministry of Education (MEHRD)
– A member of the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce
This dual recognition – national and international – gives it a unique position. Legally, the school is administered by a board of parent governors, with no shareholders to remunerate. Its funding relies primarily on tuition fees, supplemented by a state subsidy. Enrollment now exceeds 350 students, from about thirty nationalities, with approximately 60% being Solomon Islanders. Attendance even peaked at nearly 500 students during the RAMSI regional mission period, a sign of its strong appeal to expatriate communities.
An IB-Cambridge Continuum Designed for International Mobility
Woodford’s main selling point is its integrated curricular offering, covering all levels with frameworks recognized by universities worldwide. The school operates on a Southern Hemisphere calendar (school year from January to December) and offers the following structure:
| School Level | Main Program | Certification or Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Early Years – Year 5 | International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme | PYP, inquiry-based approach |
| Years 6–8 | Cambridge Lower Secondary (Cambridge curriculum) | Preparation for Cambridge Secondary |
| Years 9–10 | Cambridge IGCSE | International General Certificate of Secondary Education |
| Year 11 | Cambridge O‑Level and/or national SIF6C exams | Solomon Islands Form 6 Certificate or Cambridge equivalent |
| Year 12 | Cambridge AS/A Levels and/or SI Form 7 | University access, national or international pathway |
In primary, the PYP structures learning around transdisciplinary themes and inquiry projects. From Year 6, students transition to the Cambridge curriculum, with increasing subject specialization and explicit preparation for IGCSEs by the end of Year 10. In Years 11 and 12, students can combine the national pathway (Solomon Islands Form 6/7 exams) and Cambridge AS/A Levels, keeping doors open to both regional universities (Australia, New Zealand, Pacific) and institutions further afield.
Another important detail, often appreciated by Asian families: from Year 2 to Year 8, students take Mandarin classes, in addition to English as the language of instruction, giving a linguistic focus rare in the region.
School Climate, Pedagogy, and Student Support
Woodford’s reputation is not based solely on curriculum quality. The school strongly emphasizes a culture of “care and opportunity” where “every student is known and supported”. Class sizes remain reasonable, especially in secondary where groups do not exceed about fifteen students in some configurations, facilitating individualized follow-up.
The Solomon Islands education system relies on a predominantly local teaching body, reinforced by New Zealand, Fijian, and other nationality teachers. In primary, classroom assistants help improve the student-adult ratio. For inclusive education, Student Support Services provide specific assistance to students with mild to moderate learning difficulties, mirroring practices of international schools.
The offering is complemented by a wide range of extracurricular activities, using the campus facilities: library, music and art rooms, gymnasium, computer labs, sports fields. Even though internet connectivity can sometimes be erratic in Honiara, the school tries to maintain a level of technology integration comparable to international standards.
Admission Procedure and Family Profile
Admission to Woodford is officially non-discriminatory: no distinction is made based on nationality, religion, gender, disability, or ethnic origin. The main condition is the student’s ability to successfully follow a demanding academic curriculum in English, subject to available spaces.
The procedure unfolds in three steps:
1. Application package including a form, proof of date of birth (certificate or passport), and, from Year 1, the last two school reports. A non-refundable application fee of 1,500 SBD is required. 2. Placement test, requested on a case-by-case basis to verify the match between the student’s level and the intended class. 3. Interview with the educational leadership or cycle coordinator, before final validation by the Head of School.
This formality and the cost of fees (to which tuition fees, not publicly detailed, are added) clearly make it a niche school, targeting expatriate executives, NGO staff, diplomats, and a growing minority of urban Solomon Islander families ready to make a major financial effort to give their children an international academic passport.
New Hope Academy: The Accessible, Values-Centered Alternative
Facing the Woodford model heavily focused on international university preparation, New Hope Academy embodies another path: that of a moderate-fee private school, driven by civil society organizations and focused on character education as much as academic results.
A School Born from a Response to an Educational Emergency
The history of New Hope Academy begins well before the school’s official opening. Between 2000 and 2005, Solomon Islands teams from several organizations – Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP), Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), and Universal Peace Federation (UPF) – conceived the project of a school accessible to low-income families, with the support of “Peace Ambassadors” and Japanese and Australian WFWP chapters. Land was acquired in Home Ground, Honiara, in a country where less than 3% of the public education budget is devoted to early childhood.
In 2011, the Academy opened its doors in a renovated building, with three small kindergarten classes (3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5‑6 year-olds) and only 19 students. Partitions were improvised with library shelves. Renovation and equipment costs reached 200,000 Solomon Islands dollars, mainly funded by WFWP Japan. The following year, demand exploded: enrollment rose to 90 students and a building extension was constructed.
Lower Fees Than Public, at the Cost of Strong International Solidarity
By 2016, New Hope Academy was cited as one of the best schools in the neighborhood, despite still limited material resources. One figure illustrates its positioning well: tuition fees were around 350 SBD per term, while some public schools charged 450 SBD. This paradox is explained by the continuous support of WFWP Japan and Australia, which subsidize buildings, equipment, and educational materials, allowing fees to be kept below those of the public sector.
The table below summarizes this specificity:
| Institution / Type | Legal Nature | Fee Level (approximate) | Main Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hope Academy (kindergarten, 2016) | Non-profit private school | ~350 SBD / term (below public) | Parental fees + support from WFWP Japan & Australia |
| Honiara Public Schools (kindergarten) | Public / HCC | ~450 SBD / term (example) | State budget + parental contributions |
In a context where the state acknowledges a lack of resources for early childhood, the creation of a low-fee private preschool, explicitly intended for children from poor families, fills a gap. The initiative also aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), and SDG 17 (partnerships).
Methodical Growth: From Kindergarten to Secondary
The growth of New Hope Academy follows a phased plan quite rare for a local school:
| Period | Development Stage | Key Milestones |
|---|---|---|
| 2010–2013 | Establishment of preschool / kindergarten | 3 classes, 19 students at opening; support from WFWP Japan |
| 2014–2020 | Creation and consolidation of primary | Official opening of Grade 1 in 2018; 210 students in 2020 |
| 2021–2026 | Expansion towards secondary | Opening of Years 5 and 6 in 2021; first Year 7 (Form 1) in 2023 |
| From 2027 | Boarding School Project | Implementation of planned boarding structures |
In 2017, the kindergarten moved to a new building in Kukum, equipped with three specially designed classrooms. The school became the country’s first kindergarten to have a computer course thanks to a donation of iPads from WFWP Australia, in a country where access to technology in schools remains very unequal. That same year, 30 children graduated from kindergarten to enter primary school.
The number of students New Hope Academy had two years after opening its Grade 1.
In 2021, the inauguration of the SunHak building marked a new stage: it allowed the addition of Years 5 and 6, with spacious, ventilated, and well-equipped classrooms, good-quality sanitary blocks maintained by a dedicated employee, and a library stocked by a massive donation of Australian books. The school again acted as a pioneer by becoming the first in the country to exclusively adopt whiteboards and markers, abandoning traditional chalk.
In 2023, the school opened its first Year 7 (Form 1) class, marking the launch of its secondary section. The program includes key subjects: mathematics, science, English, social studies, computer studies, and home economics. The secondary division received accreditation from the Honiara Town Council, a prestigious status shared with only one other school in the city. The Department of Education assigned ten new teachers to this section, demonstrating the growing official recognition of the institution.
An Educational Project Centered on Family and Character
One of New Hope Academy’s distinguishing strengths is its philosophical orientation. The school defines itself as “value and family centred.” In practice, this means that the development of the “heart” – through sharing, empathy, understanding – is considered as important as acquiring academic knowledge.
This approach translates into:
– strong parental involvement, via a particularly active association
– fundraising events twice a year, often in the form of open lunches for VIPs, political leaders, and community members
– attention to gender equality, in line with WFWP commitments
The principal, Mrs. Selina Galo, has been in position since the school’s opening, ensuring a continuity of vision rarely observed in the local context.
From a pedagogical standpoint, New Hope does not claim IB or Cambridge labels. Its ambition is different: to provide a solid, progressive education, supported by modern materials (iPads, projectors, well-stocked libraries, sewing machines and computers for technology courses) at a cost affordable for low-income families. The provision of government-funded teachers reinforces this hybrid model, at the crossroads of private and public.
King George VI School: A Historic Milestone for Secondary Education
While King George VI School is not strictly an international school, its history illuminates the trajectory of secondary education in the Solomon Islands and serves as an anchor point for understanding what international schools bring that is new.
From “Experimental School” to Maker of Local Elites
Originally located in Aligegeo, near Auki on Malaita Island, the future KGVI was born in the 1950s on a former agricultural research site. The beginnings were hesitant: opening delayed in 1950 due to shortages, quick closure due to lack of funding, then reopening in 1952 under the name King George VI School, given by the British High Commissioner.
The year the school’s secondary section became fully operational, marking the culmination of its transformation into a public education laboratory.
The project was clear: to prepare a new generation of leaders for a country moving towards autonomy, by bringing together students from various islands and traditions to forge a sense of national unity. Indeed, several top political figures, including Solomon Mamaloni and Peter Kenilorea, were trained there. The school gradually rose to become the country’s top public high school, preparing its best students for the Cambridge Overseas School Certificate, a ticket to pursue higher education abroad.
A Selective and Academic Model, Far from the Reality for Most Students
The secondary classes at KGVI were then very small – about fifteen students – with reinforced supervision, strict discipline, and a strong focus on exam success. Expatriate teachers, often young, alongside Solomon Islander pioneers, introduced new methods: increased class time, improved student nutrition, establishment of a prefect system, boarding houses, houses, sports competitions. The school would eventually move to Honiara later, to become one of the most well-known national high schools.
Compared to current international schools, this model shows continuity through the centrality of preparing for Cambridge-style exams. However, it marks a break through its historically restricted access to a selected, predominantly male minority until the 1960s, and through a pedagogy focused on memorization and discipline rather than project-based learning.
International schools like Woodford inherited the global openness embodied by KGVI, but transformed its logic: more culturally mixed classes, more active pedagogy, more diverse assessment, and crucially, funding that relies on families rather than the state.
Choosing Between the Best International Schools in the Solomon Islands: Criteria and Trade-offs
For a family newly arrived in Honiara or for urban Solomon Islander parents weighing their options, the choice between Woodford International School, New Hope Academy, and, to a lesser extent, certain high-level local high schools raises very concrete questions.
Curriculum and International Recognition
The first criterion is often the curriculum. On this ground, Woodford clearly dominates:
– IB PYP in primary, recognized in over 150 countries
– Cambridge IGCSE and A‑Levels in secondary, opening doors to Anglo-Saxon universities
– possibility to take the national Form 6 and Form 7 certificates in parallel
New Hope, on the other hand, relies on national frameworks, enriched by imported materials, but without IB or Cambridge accreditation. For a student destined to stay in the Solomon Islands or pursue studies at regional universities nearby, this may suffice. For a long-term plan of higher education in countries like Australia, New Zealand, Europe, or North America, Woodford’s alignment with international standards remains a decisive advantage.
Cost and Financial Accessibility
The second criterion is of course cost. Public data detailing Woodford’s annual fees are not provided in the available sources, but everything indicates they are in the upper range of Pacific international schools. Conversely, New Hope was clearly designed to remain affordable, with fees historically lower than even some Honiara public schools, thanks to external subsidies.
Comparative summary of the main characteristics of the two presented schools of thought.
Focused on rationality and efficiency, with a rigid hierarchical structure and a pursuit of process optimization.
Centered on the human factor, motivation, and group dynamics, prioritizing team well-being and cohesion.
| Aspect | Woodford International School | New Hope Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Main Clientele | Expatriates, local economic elite | Local low- to middle-income families |
| Curriculum | IB PYP + Cambridge (IGCSE, AS/A) + national exams | Enriched national curriculum, no IB/Cambridge label |
| Tuition Fees | High (international level) | Moderate, historically < local public schools |
| External Support | State subsidy + fees | Strong support from WFWP Japan & Australia + local subsidies |
| Primary Objective | International university preparation | Access to quality education + character education |
Pedagogy, School Climate, and Values
A third, less quantifiable criterion concerns the school culture. Woodford highlights personalized learning, academic rigor, and intercultural openness – with about thirty nationalities represented. New Hope emphasizes character formation, the role of the family, and community solidarity, in an environment where parents are highly involved and values of sharing and empathy are explicit.
In the very communal local context, the social dimension of New Hope can be a criterion as important as the diploma. For expatriate families engaged in humanitarian or development work, this social orientation often constitutes a decisive argument, as it aligns with their own values.
Integration with the Local System and Social Impact
Finally, the question of the link between these schools and the national system deserves to be asked. Woodford, as a recognized “Education Authority,” benefits from MEHRD support for teacher salaries, while offering an academic environment that often serves as a showcase for the country to international visitors. Its existence helps retain some foreign executives in Honiara by offering an educational solution for their children.
New Hope, for its part, plays a more discreet but no less strategic role: it handles part of the early childhood demand that the state cannot afford to meet, while keeping fees low. In this sense, it acts as a social buffer, limiting the educational exclusion of children from disadvantaged families in urban areas.
Towards What Future for International Schools in the Solomon Islands?
The current offering of international schools in the Solomon Islands remains modest in volume – essentially concentrated in Honiara – but rich in lessons about the ongoing transformations in the country. It was built at the intersection of several dynamics:
– the state’s will to modernize its education system and align it with international agendas (SDGs, PacREF, IB, Cambridge)
– the presence of a demanding expatriate community, seeking familiar frameworks and academic mobility
– the commitment of religious organizations and civil society to fill gaps, particularly in early childhood
The new 2023 legal framework requires schools to strengthen quality, transparency, and student protection, demanding increased professionalization. Meanwhile, initiatives like New Hope Academy show that internationalization also relies on sustainable partnerships and anchoring in local priorities (fighting inequality, gender equality, early childhood access), beyond just recognized labels.
In the longer term, a major challenge will be the dissemination of pedagogical practices from these pilot schools to the rest of the system. The intensive use of English as the language of schooling, the introduction of project-based learning, the integration of technology, and attention to the specific needs of students are all elements that, if adapted, could feed the ongoing national curriculum reform.
Between the formatted rigor of Woodford International School and the social commitment of New Hope Academy, the country’s best international schools offer two complementary visions of the same wager: that of a Solomon Islands youth capable, tomorrow, of navigating with ease between its island roots and an increasingly globalized world.
Analysis of educational choices in the Solomon Islands
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Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.
On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.
Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.
