Education as a driving force for self-determination, equity, and the reclamation of knowledge systems
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
Marking the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (9 August), President Mugwena Maluleke reaffirmed Education International’s commitment to Indigenous Peoples’ right to free, quality, public education that is culturally relevant.
On 9 August and every day, Education International (EI) member organisations defend and promote the collective rights of Indigenous educators and students, advocating for their voices to be heard and reflected in the education policies that affect their communities.
“Around the world, we are working together to ensure that Indigenous education becomes a driving force for self-determination, equity, and the reclamation of knowledge systems, rather than a vehicle of assimilation or marginalisation.”
Mugwena Maluleke, Education International President
Education unions also stand as allies to broader movements for land rights, cultural preservation, climate justice, and decolonisation.
At its 10th World Congress, which took place in Argentina in 2024, EI determined to embed Indigenous voices at all levels of union decision-making and policy development. As part of this commitment, EI has formally established an Indigenous Peoples’ Advisory Body, as mandated by the resolution titled “ Asserting and defending Indigenous Peoples’ rights within and through trade unionism”.
The Advisory Body will begin its work this year and will lead the development of a dedicated EI policy on Indigenous rights in the education sector, propose advocacy and capacity-building initiatives, and guide EI’s engagement throughout the UN Decade of Indigenous Languages.
A network of EI member organisations working with Indigenous Peoples will complement the Advisory Body’s efforts, fostering exchange, collaboration, and collective action globally.
Artificial intelligence and technology: new opportunities and challenges for Indigenous educators
The theme of this year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is “ Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures” .
Reflecting on the theme, President Maluleke stressed that EI’s work is “grounded in the principles of democratic inclusion, cultural integrity, and solidarity”, noting that “this is all the more important today, as artificial intelligence and digital technologies pose both opportunities and new challenges for Indigenous educators and their communities”.
The exclusion of Indigenous Peoples’ voices in AI governance mirrors broader patterns of exclusion. AI can also misappropriate Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge, data, culture and identities, often used in training datasets without consent or attribution, reinforcing extractive practices and undermining Indigenous pedagogy. Biased AI systems can worsen stereotyping, surveillance, or misidentification of Indigenous students and communities. Furthermore, many Indigenous communities still lack digital infrastructure, which limits equitable access to AI tools and exacerbates educational and technological divides.
AI development and use must respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights to self-determination, language, and cultural heritage. Indigenous Peoples also must be respected as right-holders, co-creators, and decision-makers. Free, prior and informed consent is also critically important.
Indigenous educators and unions play a key role in safeguarding how AI enters schools and how it interacts with traditional knowledge, student data, and language learning tools. Education unions advocate for the direct involvement of Indigenous Peoples in shaping national AI strategies, digital curriculum design, and global edtech policy forums, while also protecting their data sovereignty and intellectual-property rights and pushing for public investment in Indigenous-led digital education tools as equitable alternatives to corporate-driven technologies.
Education International will address Indigenous Peoples’ concerns about artificial intelligence at the upcoming EI Global Conference on Artificial Intelligence. The conference will explore how AI systems, often developed without the participation of Indigenous Peoples, can strengthen neocolonial dynamics, reinforce biases and deepen exclusion. Discussions will focus on the impact of AI on equity and inclusion, while highlighting rights-based alternatives and the importance of Indigenous Peoples’ participation in shaping education technologies.
World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education 2025
The 2025 edition of the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (WIPCE) will mark another key moment for Indigenous education unionists. Held in Aotearoa New Zealand from the 16 to the 20 of November, the Conference will give EI member organisations the opportunity to discuss their work and insights, engage with colleagues, and strategise the way forward.
Unions in the region shared their expectations and what they are looking forward to at WIPCE:
“As a teacher by profession now working with the Papua New Guinea Teachers Association, I expect WIPCE to be a space for sharing lived experiences and learning from Indigenous educators globally. It will help strengthen our advocacy for culturally responsive education and support our efforts to improve the rights and conditions of teachers in Papua New Guinea.”
Samuel Rop | Assistant Secretary Membership and Industrial, Papua New Guinea Teachers Association
"As a Melanesian woman and union leader from the Solomon Islands, I come to WIPCE to share our story, learn from others, and stand for education justice that centers Indigenous voices, knowledge, and leadership."
Lucy Labu | Women's Wing Coordinator, Solomon Islands National Teachers Association
“WIPCE is the biggest gathering of Indigenous peoples involved in education in the world. For the National Tertiary Education Union, it will be great to showcase how we are progressing the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Higher Education Sector in Australia. Our presentation focuses on what we as a union have achieved so far and how these achievements are changing the face of Higher Education in Australia by increasing employment opportunities within the sector.”
Sharlene Leroy-Dyer | Chair of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy Committee, National Tertiary Education Union, Australia
