Pitcairn

Pitcairn, the Pitcairn Islands (Pitkern: Pitkern Ailen), officially named the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, are a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. The islands are a British overseas territory (formerly a British colony), the last remaining in the Pacific. The four islands – named Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno – are spread over several hundred miles of ocean and have a total area of about 18 square miles (47 km2). Only Pitcairn, the second largest and measuring about 2 miles across, is inhabited.

With only 50 inhabitants (from nine families), Pitcairn is also notable for being the least populated jurisdiction in the world (although it is not a sovereign nation).

The United Nations Committee on Decolonisation includes the Pitcairn Islands on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories.

The islands are best known as home of the descendants of the Bounty mutineers and the Tahitians who accompanied them, an event retold in numerous books and films. This story is still apparent in the surnames of many of the islanders.

Education in Pitcairn

There is a school on Pitcairn.

Legislation first introduced in 1838 provides for the compulsory attendance of children between the ages of 5 and 15 and for a minimum five-hour day of 380 half-days a year. Today, the Education Officer is appointed by the Government from suitable qualified applicants who are New Zealand registered teachers. The Education Officer is also the Government Adviser and Editor of the island newspaper.

The fascinating history of the school is documented at http://library.puc.edu/pitcairn/pitcairn/education.shtml

There is a long-standing and interesting relationship between Pacific Union College and Pitcairn, described at http://library.puc.edu/pitcairn/studycenter/pit_puc.shtml

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