The Vaka Pasifiki Education Conference (VPEC) landed on 9 July 2025 in Majuro, Marshall Islands, carrying 15 Pacific countries on board.
Conference participants boldly embraced and rallied around the theme “With knowledge, influence decision making. Voice your ideas. Do not remain silent.”.
The Conference Conveners – Associate Professor Seu’ula Johansson-Fua and Associate Professor Frances Koya-Vaka’uta – highlighted that this year also marked the 25th anniversary of the Rethinking Pacific Education Initiative and the 50th anniversary of the Institute of Education (IoE) at The University of the South Pacific (USP).
The IoE, with partners the USP Marshall Islands Campus, Marshall Islands Public School System, College of the Marshall Islands and Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX), collaborated in organising, sponsoring, and ensuring the successful delivery of the conference.
It witnessed an incredible turnout of presenters, researchers and educators – 259 participants in total.
According to a report by Professor Frances Koya-Vaka’uta, over the span of two and a half days, the conference hosted 40 concurrent sessions and showcased 52 presentations delivered by more than 150 presenters.
Key themes included curriculum and pedagogy, teacher development, indigenous languages, policy and publication, and social justice. Women made up 53% of participants, highlighting continued progress toward achieving equity in Pacific educational contexts.
The presentations did not fall on deaf ears, but on eager hearts ready for action. Participants included educators, who gathered new perspectives and knowledge into their baskets for use in the classrooms.
There were also community leaders, organisational leaders, policymakers, and education institution leaders who listened to presentations with the promise of action/consideration.
The auspicious event ended on a high note with remarks by the conference’s co-convener, Associate Professor Frances Koya-Vaka’uta of the Pacific Community (SPC), who challenged the crowd with a call to action:
“Let us carry forward the momentum we have built here and take with us the wisdom of the beautiful theme that RMI has gifted us: with knowledge, influence decision making, voice your ideas, do not remain silent. Whether it’s through continued research, dialogue and collaboration, implementing new strategies, or simply staying connected,” Professor Koya-Vaka’uta shared.
“I hope Vaka has given you renewed energy, valuable insights, and lasting memories, sparked new ideas and forged new networks and friendships.”
The Vaka Pasifiki Education Conference has set its sails for Rarotonga, Cook Islands, for the next event in 2028.
Pacific educators will then gather again to initiate talanoa (dialogue), build on existing indigenous knowledge systems and, most importantly, transform education in the Pacific.
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