AGP Executive Report

Religious Education Overhaul (Northern Ireland): Northern Ireland’s education department has released a draft Religious Education syllabus for public consultation after a Supreme Court ruling, aiming for “objective, critical and pluralist” teaching while still keeping Christianity central. State Power Shift (California): California’s new education governance plan strips authority from the elected state schools superintendent, moving oversight to a governor-appointed figure starting in January. New Education Laws (Florida): Nearly 140 Florida laws took effect July 1, including updates to high school diploma requirements, cursive instruction, teacher certification rules, and charter protections. Student Loan Reality Check (U.S.): A new explainer highlights how borrowers can pay down student debt faster by making extra principal payments and using strategies like bi-weekly payments. Lifesaving Training Expansion (U.S.): Safety Training Seminars opened its 100th California CPR/BLS certification school, adding more daily course access for schools and communities. Higher Ed Acceleration (Massachusetts): Merrimack College and Suffolk University plan three-year applied bachelor’s pilots, drawing debate over faster degrees versus breadth. IB Rollout (Bahrain): Bahrain trained 200 educators to support the Middle Years Programme as the country expands IB in government schools. Infrastructure Push (Namibia): Namibia says more than 500 education infrastructure projects are underway to cut overcrowding, with local procurement of school furniture to boost jobs. Safety Tragedy (Pakistan): At least 14 children died after a roof collapse at an educational center under construction in Lahore.

Digital Literacy Training: UNESCO’s Global Alliance for Literacy, with Huawei, launched a multilingual online course to boost digital competencies for literacy educators; about 10,000 teachers have joined since December 2025. Policy Overhaul in Nigeria: Nigeria’s education ministry says it will phase out the junior–senior secondary separation policy after data tied it to massive dropout losses during transitions. Higher-Ed & Testing Shakeup: ETS announced it will acquire ACT, aiming to expand education and workforce pathways beyond traditional standardized testing. Legal Fight Over Student Aid: A federal judge ruled the Trump administration’s PSLF employer rule is unlawful, striking down limits tied to a “substantial illegal purpose” test. Funding for Early Childhood: Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer signed the FY2027 budget with nearly $200M for public education and a larger childcare support expansion via Purchase of Care. Community Schools Hit: The U.S. Department of Education ended Illinois “Full-Service Community Schools” grants starting July 1, threatening services that supported attendance and family engagement. STEM & Workforce Links: Motiva and Workforce Solutions hosted a teacher externship in Southeast Texas, helping educators build workplace-based lessons for the new school year. Local Access to Childcare: Klamath Community College received a $363,000 grant to expand its childcare learning center, supporting parents’ work and higher education. Attendance as Relationships: At ISTELive, educators argued chronic absenteeism needs relationship-building with students and families, with technology used to extend those connections.

Courtroom Crackdown: Indonesia’s former education minister Nadiem Makarim was sentenced to 10 years over alleged corruption in the procurement of Chromebook laptops for the education digitalisation programme, with restitution ordered after the court found state losses. Local School Safety: In Dumanjug, the mayor’s proposed cellphone ban and “no inspection, no entry” bag checks are being reviewed by DepEd officials before any rollout. Digital Education Push: Jordan’s “Ajyal” services inside the Sanad app are gaining traction, with millions of grade checks and certificate views reported since integration. Inclusive Pathways: Students with Down syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy graduated as teaching assistants in Israel, completing a vocational-academic track aimed at mainstream school support roles. Teacher Workload Debate: A new brief argues education reform often ignores the real constraint—time for teachers—calling for changes that make teaching more sustainable. Heatwave Rules: Pakistan’s education department bans summer camps in schools from July 1 to protect students during extreme temperatures. Higher Education Access: The Bahamas and UWI are in talks to expand medical training, with plans for a standalone medical school.

Funding & Research Continuity: UC San Diego researchers say pivot grants helped keep key health and human-subject work moving after federal cuts, including studies on insulin resistance and diabetes risk. Climate & Science Education: Scripps scientists traced Houston’s cloud-forming aerosol sources to a specific coal plant, underscoring how local industry shapes regional air and health. School Safety & Accountability: New Zealand’s Oranga Tamariki faced scrutiny after it took months to respond to serious child-safety concerns tied to Gloriavale homeschooling. Bullying & Student Wellbeing: Parents and students in Massapequa, US, urged action after reports of ongoing bullying and unsafe conditions. Attendance & Engagement: A Minnesota youth perspective argues chronic absenteeism is really an engagement problem, not just a classroom-doors issue. Screen-Time Guidance: UK/US-facing debate intensifies as calls grow for clearer screen-time rules in schools. AI & Learning: At ISTE, educators warned that students treat AI and social media as “truth,” pushing stronger news-literacy skills. Policy Shockwaves: Texas approved mandatory Bible readings, while Colorado’s Title IX sports case highlights disputes over how gender data is used. Digital Transformation: Kashmir University and Intel ran a workshop to help leaders build AI-ready higher education institutions.

Medical Education Policy: India is reviewing its NEET PG “zero percentile” cut-off for postgraduate admissions after fresh concerns that it could dilute medical training standards. Teacher Supply: Ghana plans to recruit 50 Arabic teachers by end-July, with an additional 500 permanent posts planned for January 2027 to ease staffing gaps in Islamic schools. Language Rules: Maharashtra makes Marathi compulsory from Classes 1 to 10 and says schools that don’t comply could face penalties up to losing recognition. Student Support & Inclusion: Ireland approved a new ASD class at Coolarne National School, adding capacity for local special education needs. STEM & Edtech: China launched an “AI + Education Action Plan” aiming for full AI curriculum integration by 2030, while Armenia’s Ucom and CIPR AeroSpace will roll out “Cosmos/Space 1.0” in 15 schools. School Meals: Japan funds WFP school meals in Somalia for over 14,000 children through Feb 2027. Learning Access: The U.S. Department of Education says staffing cuts may limit its ability to administer federal education programs and oversight.

Exam Integrity & Policy: Bangladesh’s education minister Milon tabled a bill to tighten rules on public exam offences, including question leaks and digital cheating, while also warning against HSC leak rumours and promising surveillance and legal action. Equity in Schooling: Jamaica’s education ministry condemned Ascot Primary School’s reported decision to deny graduation gowns to students based on PEP results, calling it inconsistent with equity and inclusion. Funding & Access: Qatar’s MOEHE announced 3,000+ free private-school seats for eligible Qatari students via the Maarif platform, and Brazil’s spending-cap amendment debate continues to raise alarms about long-term education funding. STEM in Action: Trinidad and Tobago announced plans to expand STEM education alongside a national FIRST Tech Challenge robotics tournament. Digital Learning & AI: ISTE CEO Richard Culatta urged educators to focus on “screen value” over screen time as districts push for AI-ready graduates. Higher Education Rankings: Davao Region (Philippines) added five new HEIs to the THE Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026. Community Learning: UNESCO backed Sudan’s first education-sector climate change strategy, linking climate resilience to safer, future-ready schooling.

Digital Learning Push (India): India’s DIKSHA platform is being promoted as the country’s “One Nation, One Digital Platform” for school education, linking curriculum content with tools like videos, 2D/3D animations, virtual labs and regional-language customization. Regional Higher Ed (ASEAN): Philippines-led ASEAN higher education chiefs adopted three initiatives to boost digital transformation, teacher development and research collaboration, including an AI-enabled access framework and a regional teacher education centre. Policy & Funding (Nepal): Nepal’s Finance Minister says taxes from education and health will support marginalised communities, including a 3% equity tax for private schools and measures affecting students studying abroad. School Safety & Rights (US): The NAACP Legal Defense Fund urged NYC to reject AI-powered surveillance expansion in public schools, warning it could harm students’ privacy and civil rights. Early Childhood (Namibia/Fiji): Namibia opened a new kindergarten funded by Namib/Uib Fishing to expand early learning, while Fiji marked ECE Week with higher government funding for children’s first steps. Learning Outcomes (US/Florida): Florida reported a record: over 60% of students are on or above grade level in reading and math. Student Support (Bangladesh): Bangladesh’s education minister said technical education teaching posts are heavily vacant, with plans to recruit for thousands of roles. Exam Updates (India): NEET UG 2026 provisional answer key objections close today, with candidates able to challenge online before the deadline.

Community Schools Funding: The U.S. Department of Education restored a $30M grant to Idaho’s community schools program, keeping support services like food pantries and after-school help running for 65 schools, including Emmett. School Leadership & Staffing: Monroe County School District in Florida is set to name Edward C. Tierney as superintendent, while Emmett also hired a new director of food services, Emmanuel “Manny” Gomez Santa. Ghana Education Infrastructure & Policy: Qatar Charity inaugurated a new six-classroom educational complex in Ghana, and Ghana’s education debate continues with calls to “reset” discipline and accountability in classrooms. Anti-Drug School Campaign: Ghana’s education minister ordered a nationwide daily anti-drug chant in schools. Curriculum Culture Wars: Texas’ state board approved a Bible-inclusive reading list for public schools, and a Pearson GCSE Spanish guide sparked backlash over pro-trans phrases. Reforms & Exams: Sri Lanka says Grade 6 reforms are ready for next year, and India’s AIIMS released M.Sc Nursing 2026 results for the August session. Learning Beyond Classrooms: Hampshire’s King Edward VI School launched a connected “KES Group,” and Colorado’s Anythink Nature library blends books with outdoor education.

Girls’ Education Spotlight: A grassroots Bihar film project, “Mothers of Courage,” has won India’s only SDG Lions shortlist at Cannes Lions 2026, built around “Shiksha Chaupal” community talks that have driven 28,000+ gatherings across 14 districts to keep girls in school and reduce child marriage. Exam Security: Bangladesh’s Rajshahi Education Board is coordinating with exam centers ahead of the 2026 HSC exams, warning against irregularities as 140,830 students prepare across 208 centers. Higher Ed Access: Ethiopia’s 130 ICCR scholarship recipients are heading to India for undergraduate through PhD study after an orientation at the Indian Embassy in Addis Ababa. Policy Fight in Schools: In the US, the Trump administration is backing away from civil-rights enforcement for Black students, while Texas moves ahead with a Bible-stories required reading list. AI and Governance: A new look at compensation committees warns that most incentive plans still rely on traditional metrics, even as AI reshapes how value is created.

Curriculum Fight (Texas): The Texas State Board of Education approved a K-12 required reading list that includes Bible stories and passages, set to start in 2030–31 and affecting about 5.5 million students. Civil Rights Enforcement (U.S.): The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights issued a “letter of impending enforcement action” to Jefferson County Public Schools over continued Title IX violations involving student access to sports, facilities, and overnight accommodations. Special Education Oversight (U.S.): Disability advocates are pushing back after the federal government moved parts of the Education Department’s special education functions to HHS and DOJ. State Policy (Idaho): Idaho’s new civics law ramps up high school requirements, including a graduation test, aiming to boost civic knowledge and participation. Local School Leadership (Alabama): Etowah County named Julie Talton as its next superintendent, effective Aug. 1, 2026. School Safety (Philippines): DepEd launched a nationwide school safety campaign after a deadly shooting at a Tacloban high school. Higher Ed Funding (Oklahoma): State Regents approved tuition and mandatory fee increases averaging 2.2% across public colleges and universities. Community & Learning (U.S.): Logan City hosted a water education night as drought worsens, focusing on saving water and energy at home.

Mobile Phone Policy Shift (England): England’s Department for Education confirmed a mobile-phone ban will apply to all state-funded schools from June 29, moving existing guidance into law under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act. Exam Results (India): Kerala’s KEAM 2026 results are set for June 27, with the minister declaring them at 1 pm after a delay tied to CBSE re-evaluation updates. Admissions Disruption (India): Chandigarh’s Class XI school education website crashed during the admission rush, with officials redirecting applicants to chandigarh.gov.in to complete forms. Higher Ed & Skills (India): Esri India and DTU will create a GeoAI Centre of Excellence to build geospatial skills via ArcGIS, faculty training, and internships. Student Support (Singapore): ComfortDelGro’s Zig launched a $1m education fund for taxi drivers’ children, awarding $200k to 131 students. Refugee Education (Gaza): UNRWA says 63,000+ children are attending classes in temporary learning spaces inside 77 shelters. Teacher Awards (India): India opened applications for the National Teachers Awards 2026, running until July 10. Special Education (Ireland): St Francis Special School in Portlaoise received approval for four new special-education classrooms to go to tender. AI Degrees (US): University of Idaho announced new AI bachelor’s, master’s, and online graduate programs starting Fall 2026.

Philippines Education Access: A bicameral conference committee approved a reconciled Private Basic Education Voucher Program, moving the country closer to expanding school choice for families. Early Learning Research: A new Montessori podcast episode argues preschool gains should focus on curiosity and independence, not memorized content that fades. Canada School Funding & Rights: Alberta educators say student immigration status should not affect eligibility for fully funded K-12 public education. U.S. Student Loans: A federal judge temporarily blocked the Education Department’s narrowed definition of “professional” degrees, which would have changed graduate borrowing caps. U.S. Special Education Politics: House Democrats filed impeachment articles against Education Secretary Linda McMahon over alleged dismantling of the department and unauthorized transfers. Local Budgets: Coweta County adopted a $324.8M FY2027 education budget; Pender County commissioners added $2.7M to protect staffing levels. Holocaust Education Online: A new report warns Holocaust education groups lack digital staffing and strategy to fight online distortion. Higher Ed Pathways: Clark University joined Massachusetts’ Transfer Guarantee to help community college students earn affordable bachelor’s degrees.

Education Vouchers (Philippines): A bicameral conference committee approved a reconciled Private Basic Education Voucher Program, moving the country closer to expanding access to basic schooling through more parent choice and support for private schools. Religious & School Life (Philippines): The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines urged schools to join a nationwide day of prayer on June 28, with campus prayer assemblies planned alongside a rally at EDSA. Exam Integrity & Student Stress (India): India’s Supreme Court rejected an EWS plea seeking fee concessions in private medical colleges, saying reservation applies at admission only; separately, NEET UG 2026 re-exam fallout continues after reports of a Maharashtra aspirant’s suicide following the retest. Policy & Inclusion (Cyprus): Cyprus’ education ministry will create a new special education and inclusion unit to consolidate services and give families a single reference point. Teaching & Access (Maharashtra): Junior college teachers in Latur staged a sit-in against proposed staffing approval norms, warning the changes could cut teaching posts and reduce practical batch sizes. Curriculum Controversy (Texas, US): Texas’ Bluebonnet curriculum fix is projected to cost over $8 million, as questions remain about errors and the response from education leaders. Higher Ed Outcomes (South Africa): Durban University of Technology improved its Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact ranking to the 401–600 band, citing its ENVISION2030 strategy. Reading Instruction (US): Ferris State University’s elementary teacher program earned an A from the National Council on Teacher Quality for science-of-reading preparation. Special Education (UK): New figures show persistently absent SEND students in England are far higher than peers without special needs.

School Safety Funding Debate (Philippines): The Alliance of Concerned Teachers said a Tacloban school shooting exposed deeper education-system failures, arguing security upgrades won’t fix chronic underfunding and staffing gaps. Early Childhood Support (US): A Montessori educator warned against “wait and see” after parents raise concerns, citing pediatric screening guidance and the need for early intervention. Adoption Delays (UK): Dorset Council reported adoption waiting times are improving versus the national average, but stressed the ongoing shortage of suitable adoptive families. Higher Ed Governance Fight (US): Florida’s university leaders traded barbs as the UF presidential vote was delayed, with a third-party governance review proposed. Special Education Growth (US): Wimberley ISD shared a special education update showing major enrollment increases over recent years and a plan to keep refining services. Technical Training Pressure (Vermont): Demand for career and technical education is outpacing available spots, pushing schools to consider offering more technical pathways in-house. Workplace LGBTQIA+ Education (Japan): Japan plans education for workplaces and schools to improve understanding and reduce bias, using training materials and consultation systems. Indigenous Education Milestone (Canada): All 13 Mi’kmaw communities in Nova Scotia now sit under one education authority, advancing language and cultural immersion goals. Community Learning & Health Links: Frye Regional expanded free virtual childbirth classes, while Belmont Abbey College received an AED/CPR preparedness grant to strengthen local cardiac emergency response.

Northern Ireland Schools Policy Review: Tom Bennett OBE has been appointed to lead a summer review of behaviour policy and practice, aiming for safer, calmer classrooms and practical support for teachers as “increasingly complex behaviour” adds pressure and workload. Gauteng Reporting Disruption: South Africa’s Gauteng Department of Education says term-two report cards will be delayed after technical problems with SA-SAMS/Citrix; schools are telling parents updates will come in about 5–7 days. Global Education Crisis: A UN-backed emergency education report warns 93 million crisis-affected children are out of school, with many who attend still failing to reach basic literacy and numeracy. Higher Ed Recognition Push: Türkiye’s Council of Higher Education plans a new micro-credit system next year to formally recognize learning outside universities, up to 10% of graduation credits. Tech in Math Learning: Canada’s Maplesoft launches a Math Success Platform to help institutions support deeper reasoning as AI changes how students practice and get answers. Local Budgets: Seymour Board of Education approved a 2026–27 budget of about $42.74M, including staffing and learning support changes.

Special Education Updates: Carbon Career & Technical Institute’s special ed facilitator shared board progress, staff in-service takeaways, and plans for an autism-spectrum speaker for students. Teacher Pipeline: Madison Metropolitan School District launched its “Grow Your Own” program, letting district staff earn associate degrees and move toward UW-Madison teaching licenses. Prison Education Milestone: Carson Adult Education celebrated 139 incarcerated students earning high school credentials plus vocational certifications and GEDs. Digital Skills Scholarship: Qatar announced a Digital Transformation Programme under its 2026-27 Government Scholarship Plan, linking study to jobs in strategic tech sectors. Screen-Time Policy: LAUSD approved strict limits on classroom screen time, banning it before second grade and capping use for older students. Prenatal Curriculum: South Dakota’s board approved prenatal development videos for schools, with rules on age-appropriateness and content restrictions. Education Funding Pressure: Northern Michigan districts face hiring delays as state budget details remain uncertain late into the cycle. Local Support for Classrooms: Northwestern Mutual’s $5.5M Milwaukee grants backed 307 teachers across 85 projects. Workforce Alignment Concern: Korea’s higher education is strong in STEM but lags in matching AI-era workforce needs, according to a QS index. Equity & Governance Fight: Memphis parents are mobilizing against a state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools, arguing it shifts control away from elected boards.