Port Moresby Declaration on Transforming Edukesen for a Better Pacific
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
18 – 20 March 2025
Preamble
Ministers of Education from the Pacific Islands Forum member countries convened for the 2nd Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (CPEM 2025) in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, from 18 – 20 March 2025 under the theme “Transforming Edukesen for a Better Pacific.” This conference built upon CPEM 2023 and reaffirmed commitments to strengthening national and regional education systems in a sustainable Ministers were cognisant of the Article 26 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights and Sustainable Development Goal 4.
Recognising education as central to the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent Ministers reaffirmed the need for collective efforts to deepen regionalism.
Ministers further committed to CPEM’s role as the political oversight mechanism for regional education collaboration. They emphasised that regional cooperation remains essential to addressing shared education challenges while ensuring national systems are robust and responsive.
Ministers acknowledged the hospitality and logistical support provided by the Government and People of Papua New Guinea.
Ministers welcomed the contribution of Civil Society Organisations, youth networks, students, private sector and development partners in progressing education in our region.
The Ministers recognised significant concerns and priorities that will need to be addressed collectively with support from regional agencies, education partners and stakeholders to strengthen national systems including the provision of flexible learning initiatives.
Inspired by the innovation and resilience of Pacific navigators and wayfinders, Ministers highlighted the importance of balancing national priorities and efforts to deepen regionalism. Education must equip learners with the skills to navigate changing landscapes while preserving and protecting Pacific identities, cultures, and knowledge systems.
Ministers reaffirmed the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF) as a unifying mechanism for policy alignment, shared learning, climate resilient systems and sustainable education transformation. They further emphasised the need to strengthen coordination and communication among partners and make efforts to align donor funding arrangements which support national education systems.
Building on the outcomes of CPEM 2023 held in Auckland, the three-day conference drew together a diverse range of views and opinions where the following key issues and actions were identified:
Support to Teachers in the Region: Ministers along with all education sector groups who attended CPEM, agreed to prioritise supporting and strengthening teacher quality and wellbeing from a holistic lens, mutual recognition of teacher qualifications, motivation, supply, and teacher mobility to drive stronger educational outcomes for students.
Indigenous Knowledge, Culture, and Language: Ministers recognised the importance of strengthening resilience of learners through Pacific identity, culture, arts and languages and adopted this priority as a standing item on their agenda. Ministers called for the development of regional indicators on strengthening resilience of learners through Pacific identity, culture, arts, and languages and reaffirmed bilingual and indigenous curriculum initiatives and the importance of indigenous data sovereignty, protection, legislation and intellectual property for indigenous knowledge, culture and language.
Artificial Intelligence and ICT: Ministers noted that the world is quickly changing and acknowledged the need to explore ways to embrace AI and ICT to support education outcomes, while ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place. Ministers called for the responsible use of emerging technologies, including AI and data, to transform education while preserving Pacific languages and cultures. Ministers committed to strengthening data systems, promoting ethical AI use, online safety and fostering collaboration to enhance learning and equitable outcomes. By ensuring technology aligns with Pacific values, they aim to safeguard data privacy and sovereignty for a secure and resilient future for all learners.
Inclusive education: Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to inclusive education and children with special needs, ensuring those most vulnerable and gifted are appropriately catered for, and urged strong and continued collaboration, coordination, and monitoring of actions, including through PacREF and an updated review on inclusive education in the region.
Early childhood education: Ministers acknowledged the critical contribution to foundational learning outcomes of culturally and spiritually relevant, and inclusive and quality early childhood education and development through PacREF and the Pasifika Call to Action on Early Childhood Development.
Vocational Education and Training Pathways: Ministers called for investment and collaboration in piloting and implementing relevant contextualised and cost-effective models of Vocational Education and Training in Schools in the region.
Intersect between education and health outcomes: Ministers highlighted the need for collaboration with the health and relevant sectors to ensure support to health and wellbeing in schools, early detection and intervention for timely responses to health issues such as Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), neurodiverse learners, hygiene as well as other related health concerns, including substance abuse, child protection, that may impact on education outcomes.
Ministers acknowledged the update on the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the Review of Regional Architecture and welcomed the decision of their Leaders for the inclusion of education as a standing agenda item in their annual Forum Leaders Meetings. Ministers endorsed CPEM as the political oversight mechanism for the review of the education architecture.
Ministers endorsed consultations that will inform a partnership and coordination mechanism for the education sector and acknowledged the need to strengthen coordination of partners and projects at national and regional levels, including greater coherence through efforts to optimise the allocation of resources not only to educate but to prepare the next generations for the ever-changing world.
Ministers call to Leaders reiterating that quality foundational education is the basis for productive economies, requiring increased investment for sustainable development and thriving inclusive communities by investing in the region’s future generations and tasked the CROP agencies to progress this further through the implementation of the 2050 Strategy and the RRA.
Ministers acknowledged the immense support of the Government of Papua New Guinea and the important contributions of all stakeholders.
Progressing Regional Education Priorities to Forum Leaders
Engaging with Pacific Leaders: Ministers agreed to present the outcomes of CPEM 2025 at the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting to be held in September 2025, in Solomon Islands and welcomed the commitment by the Hon Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Hon James Marape, to champion and deliver CPEM outcomes.
Finally, Ministers considered and endorsed the convening of Special session of the Education Ministers meeting within the margins of the USP Council Meeting in 2026.
Ministers further accepted the kind offer from the Republic of Marshall Islands to host the next CPEM in 2027.
