As of 2020, there were only two accredited universities in Tonga: the University of the South Pacific and Christ's University in Pacific. In a ruling 14 January 2022, however, the Chief Justice of Tonga's Supreme Court opined that the Tonga National Accreditation Board had been "on notice" since 2018 to assess the application of 'Atenisi Institute and been "repeatedly reminded" by said Court and the Court of Appeal of its duty to do so.