Funding Gaps in South Africa: Gauteng’s education department is reported to owe nearly R1bn to schools for maintenance, municipal services and basics like textbooks, raising fresh alarms about learning conditions. Labour and Higher Ed: Tufts University facilities workers reached a tentative bargaining deal with 32BJ after strike authorization votes, with talks focused on wages, paid time off and protections for leave tied to immigration issues. AI and Learning Policy: A new debate is heating up over how AI should be handled in education and higher education, with officials and educators pushing for clearer rules as AI use spreads in classrooms and assessments. School Choice in Arkansas: A state panel endorsed releasing $70m in reserve funds for the Educational Freedom Account school-choice program, which is expanding to all K-12 students. STEM Outreach Across Borders: In Kenya’s Kibera, students join free STEM lessons via Zoom with siblings in the U.S., showing how cross-continental partnerships can keep learning accessible. Tech in Schools, Not Just Bans: One school district argues that restricting devices without teaching digital responsibility leaves students unprepared for the future. Education as National Priority (PNG): Papua New Guinea’s PM announced K11bn for education over the next decade, stressing vocational and distance learning alongside school and teacher investment.