Primary education is free and compulsory to all children aged 6 -13 years old. Children enter primary schools the year they turn 6 years of age. There are nine government primary schools, one on every island.

These schools are run in collaborative partnership with the Kaupule. There is one faith-based primary school on Funafuti, the Seventh day Adventist primary school, which is run and operated by the SDA church.

Primary education has a duration of 8 years and at the end of Year 8, children sit the National Year Eight (NYE) examination. This examination is a monitoring examination.