Much research has focused on a linguistic view of vernacular or culturally based education programmes, while the political aspects of creating such programmes have been less frequently addressed. Throughout Oceania, formal schooling is linked to the colonial encounter, and although the legacy of colonial education continues to shape current educational initiatives, school reforms are thus part of the efforts to reverse ongoing experiences of colonialism. Using a critical approach, and paying attention to the political situations that shape educational reforms, our article focuses on the tensions that make such reforms difficult to implement: tensions between State logics and indigenous claims, between ‘equal opportunity’ in school and discrimination based on race or culture; and between the various motives of vernacular education (patrimonial, political, pedagogical).