Environment Statistics – Country Context, Status, and Opportunities
National Assessment Report
The purpose of this assessment report is to identify a way forward for environment statistics and environmental-economic accounting in Vanuatu. It provides guidance for initiating statistical development towards improving decisions related to sustainable development and green economy. It is based on existing national policy documents and a national technical assessment of environment statistics.
This assessment report aims to capture the policy priorities, institutional framework and capacity needs for Vanuatu to engage in such development. It concludes by identifying priority sectors for environment statistics, and actions for improving these statistics over the short to medium term.
The assessment takes into account views of key national stakeholders. The support of UNESCAP in preparing this report, and training provided to national counterparts contributed immensely to progress to-date and will facilitate implementation plans going forward.
Linkages to relevant policy and planning initiatives
National
1.] Vanuatu National Sustainable Development Plan
The vision statement in the Vanuatu National Sustainable Development Plan (VNSDP) is “A Stable, Sustainable and Prosperous Vanuatu”. It demands careful and comprehensive measures to address the environmental challenges at hand. As environment is recognised as a cross-cutting policy issue, a robust information system is needed to develop and monitor sustainable development policy interventions. The Prime Minister’s Office administers a system of annual and six-monthly reporting and relevant environment indicators and data are necessary for informed decision making. Key areas in the environment pillar of the VNSDP linked to statistics need include: agriculture production; forestry; fisheries; energy; waste, water, land; and ecosystems/biodiversity.
2.] Vanuatu National Strategy for the Development of Statistics
The Vanuatu National Statistics Office (VNSO), in consultation with national stakeholders, has published a strategy for development of statistics. The Strategy outlines a number of areas where environment statistics are of interest and need to be compiled including: biodiversity; extractive industries; chemical use; water resources; conservation areas; waste management; and emissions.
3.] Other relevant sectoral policies
A number of sectoral policies contain elements of environment sustainability to achieve broader national development priorities, these include: Vanuatu National Energy Road Map; Vanuatu Agriculture Sector Policy; National Oceans Policy; Vanuatu Strategic Tourism Action Plan; and National Waste Management Policy. Key components of these policies and plans relate to: sustainability of each sectoral priority; direct and cross-cutting linkages to development priorities; infrastructure and capacity issues in supply; efficiency and effectiveness of production over consumption demands; and medium-term needs and plans to address existing challenges. In this context, these sector policies and plans have a component of monitoring and evaluation which require data and can inform the statistics production processes coordinated by VNSO.
International
Relevant global initiatives
There are many relevant global initiatives that include the promotion of system environmental-economic accounting (SEEA) for better environmental monitoring and accountability. In particular, two most relevant include: the Sustainable Development Goals; and the SAMOA Pathway for sustainable development in Small Island Developing States. A number of proposed SDG indictors can be measured systematically using guidelines in the SEEA.
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK OVERVIEW
Vanuatu has a centralised statistical system, with the VNSO having the legal responsibility to coordinate the production and dissemination of official statistics… In recent years there has been increased recognition given to statistical activities and the importance of “statistics informed” policy, resulting in increased resources dedicated for quality, timely and reliable statistics throughout the VSS [Vanuatu Statistical System] (VNSDS 2016-2020).
Current compilation and publication focus is on economic and social statistics. However, the Vanuatu Strategy for the Development of Statistics includes plans in several areas of environment statistics. VNSO management and key stakeholders such as Prime Minister’s Office are committed to development of environment statistics in the short-to-medium term (i.e., within three years).
EDUCATION: 2015 Annual Statistical Digest (ASD)
Key results
1. INCREASING ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATION
The overall enrolment in kindergarten, primary and secondary schools in Vanuatu is 80,800 students in 2015 of which 42,203 is male and 38,597 is female. The distribution of students by education authorities shows that the total enrolment in government schools has increased between 2012 and 2015. The VEMIS shows that the number of students enrolled in government primary schools has increased by 5.2% students in 2015. At secondary level, the number of students in government schools has increased by 11% between 2012 and 2015. This increase would emanate from the positive implementation of the universal primary education in Vanuatu.
2. IMPROVE QUALITY OF EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS IN VANUATU
Acces to an education of good quality was the right of every child in Vanuatu, it affirmred that quality was the heart of education, fundemental factor of student enrolment, retention and achievement. MoET in Vanuatu was not only focussing its efforts on improving access to education but also on improving the quality of learning and teaching in schools since 2010. Improving the quantity of teachers will not be enough, VEMIS is able to report on the percentage of trained teachers in ECE, primary and secondary schools each year. In 2015, the percentage of certified teachers in primary schools has increased by 3.2% as compared to 2014.
3. STRENGTHEN EDUCATION MANAGEMENT
The total of education expenditure is defined as the total general (local, regional and central) government expenditures on education (current, capital, and transfers) and it includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government as percentage of a GDP. The education expenditure has risen from 6.1% in 2011 to 7.3% in 2015. In comparison to other pacific countries, the country has invested a higher percentage of its national budget to education sector in 2015. This indicates that the Vanuatu Government continues to set up for education sector development.
In 2015, the Ministry has been allocated an annual budget of 4,303,732,687VUV, approximately 24% of the total government appropriated recurrent budget of 17.773 billion Vatu. In comparison with the 2014 appropriated annual budget, there is an increase of 2.96% in 2015.
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For more information
Contact:
Ministry of Education & Training
Policy & Planning Unit
Private Mail Bag 9028
Port Vila, VANUATU
Telephone (678) 22309 Facsimile (678) 24569
Demographic Health Survey (DHS) Short Films
The Vanuatu National Statistics Office (VNSO) has released a series of short films comprising of stories with information from thematic areas collected during the Demographic Health Survey conducted in 2013. The thematic areas include reproductive health, fertility and family planning, child health, nutrition, HIV and Aids and Malaria.
According to the Government Statistician, Mr Simil Johnson, the idea of producing short films is to raise awareness and statistical literacy on issues affecting our population. The production is the first of its kind and produced locally by a youth group with funding from UNFPA. Mr Johnson reiterated that with the current access and use of information and communication technology, such production is expected to become a new way of disseminating statistical information, apart from traditional reports contain tables, maps, charts and texts. “We are improving the quality of our dissemination strategy and we hope the public can absorb a lot from these films”, Mr Johnson said.
The short films have narration in Bislama with English subtitles to suit most targeted audience in the country.
The films series can be accessed at the VNSO Youtube channel in the following link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe-1fX3N6GUm4Xf2FTM05Sg
