ABSTRACT
Thousands of islands, diverse in size, geological structure, topography, geographic spread, and natural resources, are scattered across the Pacific Ocean, the largest body of water in the world. This vast area comprises the Pacific Islands Region (Fairbairn 1985). Anthropologists divide these islands and their 6,000,000 inhabitants into three groups: Melanesia (black islands), Polynesia (many islands), and Micronesia (tiny islands). This chapter provides an overview of early childhood education in the Pacific Island Nations and describes the programs in Fiji and American Samoa in some detail in order to illustrate two different streams of program development. Preschool programs for young children vary greatly from setting to setting. Informal education for children under six in Fiji began on the lawns of Catholic and Methodist schools. The Ministry of Education suggests that preschools keep a cash reserve for emergencies because a number of centers close each year due to financial constraints or natural disasters.
