Admission to secondary school is based on examination - a major component of which is mastery of English. Primary education in Tarawa is widely seen as more likely to lead to a secondary school place than that in the outer islands. However, I am not aware of any studies which remove correlation with parents education and command of English. Rurubao Primary School at Bairiki caters for primary education up -to the age of 10 to 11. Volunteer expatriate teachers are sometimes employed at Rurubao.
All lessons are in English.
Numbers are limited and early advice of requirements for enrollment is essential. There is continual grass roots political pressure for the provision of secondary education on each island. Government lacks the staff and finance to carry this out. Staffing consists mostly of I-Kiribati graduate teachers but expatriate positions have been supported by aid for many years. Many pupils leave after 5 years education.