Education is provided in either English or French. In 1992, there were 272 primary schools with 852 teachers and 26,267 students. Student-to-teacher ratio stood at 31 to 1. General secondary schools had 220 teachers and 4,269 students in the same year. 

There were also 124 students in teacher training schools and 444 in vocational schools. The pupil-teacher ratio at the primary level was 24 to 1 in 1999. In the same year, 96% of primary-school-age children were enrolled in school, while 23% of those eligible attended secondary school.

Full secondary education is provided by the anglophone Malapoa College and the French Lycee at Port-Vila; limited secondary education is also available in five English post-primary schools and three French mission schools. For post-secondary education, especially medical and technical training, selected students go principally to Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand.

Government expenditure on education in 1995 amounted to 20% of the central government budget. As of 1999, public expenditure on education was estimated at 8.7% of GDP.