The constitution and other laws and policies protect religious freedom.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has a nominal policy-making role concerning religion. It characterizes its role as keeping a balance between constitutionally protected rights of religious freedom, free speech, and free expression on the one hand and maintaining public order on the other. All religious institutions are required to register with the government, but there were no reports registration was denied to any group.
In general the government does not subsidize religious groups. However, several schools and health services were built and continue to be operated by religious organizations. There are schools sponsored by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Church of Melanesia, the United Church, the South Seas Evangelical Church, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church. After attaining independence, the government recognized that it had neither the funds nor the personnel to take over these institutions and agreed instead to subsidize their operations.
The public school curriculum includes an hour of daily religious instruction, the content of which is agreed upon by the five Christian churches. Students whose parents do not wish them to attend the class are excused. The government subsidizes church schools only if they align their curricula with governmental criteria. Non-Christian religious instruction may be taught in the schools for practitioners of other religions, if they request it.
Government oaths of office customarily are taken on the Bible. The constitution forbids religious tests for public office.
The government observes the following religious holidays as national holidays: Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, and Christmas.