The Vanuatu Education Office must begin organizing and planning more strategically around Information and Communication Technology (ICT), working closely with ICT professionals to implement actions that enhance both the learning environment and student performance through technology.

This week, Malapoa College—one of Vanuatu’s most recognized secondary schools—confiscated over 300 mobile phones, smartphones, and tablets from students. The incident has sparked widespread debate among technologists and educators, with many questioning whether the issue could have been handled in a more constructive way.

Malapoa College holds a pioneering role in the country’s educational ICT history. It was among the first schools in Vanuatu to establish a computer lab, a dedicated teachers’ computer lab, a Geographic Information System (GIS) lab, and the first computerized weather station.

The college’s computer lab with GIS capabilities was launched in 1995, followed by the introduction of Vanuatu’s first automatic computerized weather station in 1996—an initiative developed in partnership with the University of Oklahoma as part of a Climate Change research experiment in the Pacific.

A recent feature in the Daily Post has reignited national discussions around ICT in education, especially on social media, highlighting both the challenges and opportunities ahead for integrating technology effectively in schools.