The 3rd Malaysian Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (MIPCE-3)

The theme of MIPCE-3, “Celebrating Indigenous Languages and Cultures through Holistic Education,” to be held from 12–14 December 2025 at J Borneo Native Village, Lok Kawi, Sabah, Malaysia, reflects the belief that education must nurture the whole person and the wider community. It emphasizes learning across both informal settings—such as homes, community preschools, Sekolah Adat, and cultural spaces—and formal settings, including schools, universities, and training institutions.

In this context, holistic education links children’s early learning to their first languages and lived environments, while equipping them to engage nationally and globally. This community-based multilingual approach (commonly termed Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education, MTB-MLE) embraces the revitalisation of Indigenous languages, the preservation of cultural identity, creativity and self-expression, and the recognition of intergenerational and community knowledge systems. Central to this approach is the integration of Indigenous knowledge—traditional wisdom, ecological practices, values, and worldviews—that connects learning to the lived realities of Orang Asal and Orang Asli communities.

In line with the 2025 UN International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples theme, “Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures”, MIPCE-3 also highlights how ethically governed digital tools can strengthen language revitalisation and cultural transmission while respecting Indigenous data sovereignty, consent, and leadership.

Crucially, this holistic approach recognises community educators and provides pathways for professional recognition and certification, while demonstrating that Indigenous-led early childhood education is viable, scalable, and policy-ready. It offers concrete evidence to inform Malaysia’s future education frameworks and contributes directly to the national conversation on Indigenous Early Childhood Education (IECE) within the upcoming Malaysia Education Blueprint 2026 – 2030.

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