From Colonial Schooling to Decolonial Futures: Transforming Education in the Pacific

Colonial education systems in the Pacific were designed to reshape Indigenous identities, restructure social systems, and replace local epistemologies with Western worldviews. These legacies continue to influence contemporary schooling, where Eurocentric curricula, English-dominant language policies, and non-relational pedagogies often marginalise Indigenous knowledge, culture, and authority. This paper examines the shift from colonial schooling to decolonial futures in Pacific Island nations, arguing that meaningful transformation requires dismantling entrenched colonial logics embedded in curriculum, governance, assessment, and teacher preparation. Drawing on decolonial theory, Indigenous Pacific epistemologies, and contemporary regional research, the paper explores how movements for language revitalisation, cultural resurgence, and Indigenous-led education governance are reshaping possibilities for future generations. It highlights emerging practices, including vanua- and vā-centred pedagogies, immersion language programs, land-based learning, and Indigenous community co-governance, that offer pathways toward epistemic justice and culturally grounded education systems. By tracing both historical impacts and contemporary innovations, this study proposes a decolonial education framework that positions Pacific knowledge systems, linguistic diversity, and relational ontologies at the centre of educational transformation. The findings argue that decolonial education is essential not only for restoring cultural continuity and Indigenous sovereignty but also for building resilient, future-ready education systems capable of supporting Pacific nations in the 21st century and beyond.