Languages in Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands has a fragmented language-learning system rather than one national network of language schools or one national language certificate. The main formal providers are schools, early childhood education centres, the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, and Solomon Islands National University. Community Education, Adult Literacy and READSI provide non-formal learning in some areas, while families, communities and workplaces support informal learning. Access and course availability vary by province, island, provider, teaching materials, transport and internet connection. English supports government, formal communication, education and many work settings. Solomon Islands Pijin, also called Solomon Aelan Pijin, has high practical value in everyday communication and often connects speakers of different local languages. Local languages remain highly relevant for young children, community life and cultural identity, but teaching resources, trained teachers and written materials differ considerably between locations. Sign language is included in the legal education framework, although local capacity is not documented consistently. The Education Act 2023 allows local vernacular languages, Pijin, English or sign language to be used alone or together according to learning needs. Early childhood education through Primary Year 3 may use a mother tongue, Pijin or sign language. English becomes the principal language from Primary Year 4 under the Education Regulations 2024, while the transition from a local language or Pijin to English can affect learning and literacy. In the 2019 Census, reported reading and writing ability among people aged five and over was 72.9% for English, 68.4% for Pijin and 64.4% for a local language. English is taught in schools and may be required for entry to some Solomon Islands National University programmes. The university offers Academic English for some students who use English as a second language, and its language-related programmes also include linguistics, multilingual education, English literacy and teacher education. National school examinations use English in the Solomon Islands Junior Certificate and Solomon Islands School Certificate, including Language 1 and Language 2 papers. No nationally established language certificate comparable to the Common European Framework or IELTS is documented; course completion and examination requirements depend on the institution. Foreign languages such as Mandarin, French, Spanish, Taiwanese and Japanese may appear as optional secondary-school subjects, depending on planning, teachers and materials. Current nationwide delivery, independent language courses and national examinations for these languages are not established by the available evidence. Digital learning is developing through initiatives such as the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development's ICT4BE and KioKit materials and Solomon Islands National University's distance and flexible learning, but connectivity and device access remain unequal, especially in rural areas and outer islands. Basic education through Year 9 has no tuition fees according to education ministry information, while university fees, adult-literacy costs, transport, materials and internet expenses depend on the programme and location.