Abstract
Educational equity in digitally transforming societies cannot be reduced to the availability of devices, connectivity, or online learning platforms. In multilingual and institutionally constrained contexts, learners’ opportunities also depend on whether digital resources recognize their languages, whether teachers and students can critically engage with artificial intelligence (AI), and whether educational institutions can translate technology into inclusive pedagogical practice. This article reconceptualizes educational equity in Timor-Leste through an integrative synthesis of scholarship on language-in-education policy, digital inequality, AI literacy, and institutional capacity. It argues that access-oriented approaches overlook three connected conditions: linguistic usability, critical and ethical AI competence, and the organizational capabilities required for equitable implementation. Timor-Leste provides a significant case because its education system operates within a multilingual environment shaped by Tetum, Portuguese, and local languages. International scholarship on AI literacy and digital education informs the analysis. The article distinguishes nominal access from effective educational capability and identifies policy implications for curriculum design, teacher development, language-sensitive digital resources, governance, and evaluation. As a conceptual synthesis, it does not claim new field data or verified causal effects. It offers propositions and a research agenda for empirical testing in Timor-Leste and comparable multilingual education systems. It supports more inclusive education policy decisions.
