About The Job

Apply by :

October 1, 2025

Know By

December 1, 2025

Depart On

June 16, 2026

Duration

2 years, plus 3 months training

ELIGIBILITY: Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be a U.S. citizen.

Project description

The Kingdom of Tonga, located in Polynesia in the South Pacific and consisting of 170 islands, stretching 500 miles north to south with a land mass of 290 square miles over 270,000 square miles of ocean. A strongly Christian nation, religion plays a large part in Tongan society and intersects with custom beliefs and the four golden values of Tonga: respect, nurturing relationships, humility, and loyalty.

The Ministry of Education and Training and Peace Corps have built a strong partnership focused on improving education outcomes. English is a national priority, and as a close development partner Peace Corps works to increase student achievement and build teacher capacity.

The focus of our development approach is long-term with sustained shared learning, understanding, and growth. Relationship building, collaboration, and locally prioritized projects are measures for success. For Volunteers, the quiet pace and hands-off approach of Peace Corps’ development model can take adjustment. Rather than managing much themselves, Volunteers support the growth of foundational knowledge and skills that, when understood deeply, can be transformational. Along the way, there are many opportunities for Volunteers to leverage their skills and passions, catalyzing educational advancement in the school and community.

Role

Volunteers play multiple roles during their service. Volunteers and their partners are trained to utilize participatory tools in a phased, asset-based approach to uncover existing strengths, advantages, and opportunities:

• Collaborative Capacity Building with Teachers
  
  

Volunteers collaborate closely with teachers to support mutual learning in general- and English-teaching skills. Volunteers co-facilitate discussions on strategies and tips. Volunteers also collaborate to identify best practices in student-centered teaching methods, lesson planning, assessments, and inclusive education. Volunteers engage in model teaching, peer observations, co-developing learning materials, and bridging the English language capacity of teachers.

• Improving Student Achievement in English
  
  

Volunteers teach oral and written English primarily in elementary schools. They co-organize and co-facilitate extracurricular activities and events to improve language skills and proficiency (direct teaching, pull-out groups, tutoring, and extracurricular classes, events, clubs, and camps such as drama, art, sports, reading, and other recreational activities).

• Learning Environment and Community
  
  

Volunteers co-plan and co-facilitate activities that increase the ability of community members to support students’ access to learning. Activities include school fundraisers, contests, event planning, and home visits to involve parents in their children’s education and encourage parents to support continual learning.

Volunteers Also Collaborate To Support Locally Prioritized Community Activities

• Facilitating youth camps or clubs on life skills development and leadership.
• Co-organizing and co-facilitating library/learning center development and management.
• Co-organizing and co-facilitating environmental education and disaster risk reduction projects.
  
  

Required Skills

Qualified candidates will have a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any discipline and a strong desire to teach English.