Climate Change, Migration, And School Disengagement in A Globalised World: Governance Challenges, Educational Inequality, And the Role of AI and Traditional Knowledge

Abstract

Climate change is increasingly reshaping patterns of human mobility, governance capacity, and educational stability across the globe. In many contexts, climate-induced displacement and migration intersect with globalisation-driven inequalities to disrupt schooling trajectories, contributing to declining academic performance and rising rates of school disengagement and dropout. Despite growing recognition of these challenges, existing educational responses remain fragmented, often addressing climate change, migration, governance, and technology as isolated policy domains. This paper critically examines how climate change and migration, within a globalised world, influence school disengagement through governance failures, structural inequality, and limited system responsiveness. Drawing on interdisciplinary literature spanning education, climate studies, migration research, governance, and digital transformation, the paper develops an integrated conceptual analysis that foregrounds the role of education systems as both sites of vulnerability and potential resilience. Particular attention is given to the emerging role of artificial intelligence (AI) in supporting early identification of disengagement risks, adaptive learning pathways, and system-level planning, alongside the often-overlooked contributions of traditional and indigenous knowledge systems in fostering community resilience, belonging, and culturally grounded educational continuity. The analysis highlights tensions between technocratic, data-driven solutions and context-sensitive, human-centred approaches that recognise moral responsibility, cultural knowledge, and social justice. The paper argues that addressing school disengagement in the context of climate-induced mobility requires governance frameworks that integrate technological innovation with equity-oriented policies and epistemic plurality. It concludes by proposing a holistic, values-informed framework for educational governance that aligns AI-enabled interventions with traditional knowledge and inclusive policy design to support educational continuity, learner well-being, and long-term social sustainability in an era of climate uncertainty.