This study uses targeted literature surveys to explore why hunter-gatherer children in the Global South have much lower participation in formal schooling compared to other marginalized groups. Reviewing through various literatures, the article hypothesizes that cultural values of autonomy, combined with economic, infrastructural, and social barriers, conflict with the hierarchical structure of the formal education systems. Their review finds that while schools threaten the transmission of traditional knowledge and languages, communities also see them as potential sources of empowerment. The article concluded by emphasizing that hunter-gatherer groups themselves should determine the role and value of schooling for their children. No formal hypothesis tests were made.