AGP Executive Report

Higher Education Diplomacy: Malaysia says it will keep working with the Boao Forum on trade, AI, and education and talent development, framing higher education as a bridge for global partnerships. Teacher Training & Assessment: Ibb University rolled out training for faculty on modern teaching and assessment strategies to meet accreditation and improve learning outcomes. Skills for Youth: Bahrain’s AlMabarrah AlKhalifia Foundation launched summer programmes to build future-ready skills, including AI, leadership, and workplace exposure. Literacy Policy Fix: New Zealand’s education ministry corrected phonics test materials after real words were wrongly marked as “made-up,” with claims that past results weren’t affected. Learning Under Pressure: Nigeria’s education system faces disruption from insecurity, with schools and teachers targeted and girls hit hardest. Digital Access: Dubai’s Digital School programme is expanding across Africa to support education and teacher capacity for hundreds of thousands. Curriculum Updates: Terry Public Schools began updating its social studies curriculum for grades 6–12, citing a “dire need” for modernization.

Policy & Governance: California Democrats move to strip the elected state superintendent of managerial authority, shifting control to a governor-appointed education director. Education Data Systems: Nigeria launches DNEMIS, urging states and private schools to upload records so officials can track schools, teachers, learners, and infrastructure for better planning. Inclusive Higher Ed: JAMB’s Equal Opportunity Group reports 4,216 candidates with disabilities admitted over 10 years, with an average 53% gaining entry annually. Early Childhood & Community: A chain of U.S. preschools raises thousands for Make-A-Wish through “Let’s Grant Wishes,” pairing early learning with giving. International Partnerships: Japan reaffirms support for Cambodia’s education, including student exchanges, Japanese language teaching, teacher development, and ICT cooperation. Minority Education Reform: Uttarakhand replaces its Madrasa Board with a single Minority Education Authority under “One Nation, One Education,” with recognition for minority institutions. STEM/Workforce Links: Sri Lanka’s MCAS and EightD sign an MoU to expand aviation and logistics education training. Local Leadership: Council Bluffs schools name Iowa City’s Chace Ramey interim superintendent while launching a national search.

Higher Ed & Military Mobility: Space Command personnel relocating from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama, can tap in-state tuition at multiple North Alabama colleges and all three University of Alabama campuses, with GI benefits and full-time course-load rules shaping eligibility. Early Childhood Philanthropy: Dozens of The Learning Experience preschool sites across the U.S. ran “Let’s Grant Wishes” for Make-A-Wish, raising amounts ranging from about $5,000 to nearly $39,000 in local campaigns. Inclusive Education Research: A new comparative analysis looks at why U.S. and Brazil’s inclusive education promises don’t always translate into similar outcomes, pointing to differences in institutional structure, professional support, and how policy becomes day-to-day services. AI in Teaching: St Joseph University trained faculty on “AI-ready” teaching practices, focusing on using AI tools for lesson planning, content creation, assessment, and classroom engagement. Global Education Funding Pressure: A UNDP report warns that Middle East conflict fallout is pushing low- and middle-income countries to spend more on fossil fuel subsidies, squeezing budgets for education and health.

Higher Ed Leadership & Trust: Virginia’s University community is still weighing how President Scott Beardsley’s first six months compare with former leader Jim Ryan, as groups continue pressing for transparency after Ryan’s 2025 resignation. Leadership Turnover: Frank Batten School dean Ian Solomon will step down Aug. 2 to become CEO of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, reshaping leadership in public policy education. Graduate Loan Limits: A federal lawsuit over how “professional degrees” are defined could change borrowing for nursing and education graduate programs, with new caps raising affordability alarms. State Policy Shifts: Oklahoma’s education secretary Dan Hamlin is set to become dean of UT Austin’s College of Education, while Uttarakhand’s Minority Education Act replaces the Madrasa Board with a new minority education authority and NCERT-based textbooks. Special Education Rights: A guest column warns that moving special education oversight to HHS could undermine IDEA inclusion and disability protections. Teacher Workforce Pressure: Oklahoma approved thousands of emergency teaching certificates, signaling ongoing staffing strain. Early Learning Expansion: California’s final budget deal adds 22,700 child care slots and boosts the bilingual teacher pipeline. School Quality Signals: Ofsted reports “great starts” and “impressive outcomes” at Swindon Academy, while Ashton Primary’s latest inspection shows mixed results with achievement, curriculum, and leadership flagged.

Policy Reform (Malaysia): Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced a new National Education Council to drive reforms across school and higher education, including curriculum updates, stronger English proficiency, and a STEM talent pipeline—plus district-level quality improvements and support for Bumiputera education. AI in Schools (Bulgaria): A study by BASSCOM found nearly 95% of Bulgarian pupils use AI for school-related purposes, but most learned it outside school, pushing calls for clearer AI-use and data-protection guidelines. Student Support After Violence (Philippines): After a Tacloban school shooting, lawmakers and education and health agencies outlined “immediate directions” including a deployable network of mental health and child-protection professionals and regular prevention seminars. Attendance Rules Clarified (Canada): Education Minister Paul Calandra walked back confusion over a new attendance policy, saying students can still be excused for high-performance sports and other activities while keeping education as the priority. Nigeria Research Push: Nigeria inaugurated a Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Committee to launch an annual ₦365m research prize aimed at boosting scholarship, innovation, and research commercialization. Early Learning & Community: Multiple U.S. preschool programs raised Make-A-Wish funds, while a free autism summer camp offered communication and social support for children.

Orang Asli Education Boost (Malaysia): Perak’s Sultan Nazrin officially opened the country’s first SMAR Orang Asli school, Nurul Hidayah, expanding an integrated academic-and-Islamic curriculum aimed at long-term human capital gains for the Orang Asli community. Curriculum and Language Policy (India): Maharashtra expanded a CBSE Shivaji chapter from a few lines to 22 pages, while also making Marathi teaching and Marathi exams mandatory, with penalties for non-compliance. Phone Bans Debate (UK): A UCL study finds most teachers and parents back blanket smartphone bans, but many students disagree, saying phones support safety, communication, and everyday learning tools. Student Safety and Learning (Philippines): PIDS and UNFPA research links parental violence and school exclusion to worse educational outcomes and higher risks of bullying and domestic violence for adolescents. Workforce Skills (US): Iowa SkillsUSA students earned national recognition tied to career readiness, highlighting hands-on pathways into skilled jobs. Digital Education Support (Eswatini): Studycat donated 2,000 sets of learning software to Eswatini, routed through government and schools. STEM/AI in Agriculture (India): IIT Ropar launched HACK CORE 2026 with Syngenta and Google to spur AI solutions for crop health, pest management, and climate-resilient farming. Military Training Shift (Russia): Russia plans to expand drone and field-exercise instruction for students from September, increasing military-focused lessons within a compulsory safety-and-defence course.

School Nutrition & Early Literacy: Philippines’ Education Secretary Sonny Angara kicked off a drive combining hot meals and reading campaigns in Nueva Ecija, aiming to blunt undernutrition’s impact on foundational literacy. Teacher Training & Curriculum Quality: California’s teacher-prep programs earned mostly low marks on a literacy report card, with critics and state leaders disputing the findings. AI in Education, With Caution: ISTE+ASCD rebranded to ISTE, as schools grapple with generative AI’s promise and risks for learning and student data privacy. Religious Content in Public Schools: Texas approved Bible readings and expanded Christian-infused curriculum, reigniting national debate over what should count as public education. Education Reform via Partnerships: Bangladesh’s primary education minister said reforms will rely on coordinated government-NGO work, focusing on curriculum, teachers, administration, infrastructure and technology. Research Capacity Boost: Finland opened its new Roihu supercomputer for researchers, designed to expand national computing power for science and education. STEM & Skills Pipelines: Oman unveiled a 3D-printed green hydrogen lab at GUtech, while a UK museum ran STEM week activities to spark engineering interest.

Education Funding & Accountability: Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s AJK budget session opens today with Rs286bn on the table, including a likely 7% rise in salaries and pensions and Rs57bn for education. School Governance & Equity: South Africa’s Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile announced a probe into corruption and procurement irregularities across provincial schools, citing fraud and overspending cases. Student Wellbeing in Focus: A Dublin school evaluation links trauma-informed practice to better emotional regulation and learning when basic needs like rest, food, and hygiene are met. STEM Access Moves On-Road: Florida’s Sturgeon City launched a mobile STEAM bus to bring hands-on science and tech learning to schools facing transport and budget barriers. Digital Learning & Policy: India’s MoSPI and GRAAM will place young fellows inside the ministry to connect grassroots insights with policy and governance. Curriculum Controversy: NCERT rejected claims that the Constitution’s Preamble was removed from Class 9 civics, saying topics were redistributed across grades. Teacher Pipeline: Telangana will fill 202 teacher-training vacancies via deputation, with a computer-based test, interviews, and demonstrations. Learning Security: Maharashtra ordered an SIT probe after alleged TET 2026 question-paper leaks led to postponement.

Teacher Workforce & Pathways: Delaware is adding 67 educator apprentices from 12 districts and charters, bringing its total supported apprentices to 105 as it tackles teacher shortages through “grow your own” training while participants keep working in schools. Heat & School Safety: Wales is closing or reshaping hundreds of schools during an extreme heatwave, with local leaders deciding whether to shut buildings, shorten days, or shift to remote learning as unions warn many classrooms aren’t built for prolonged hot spells. Literacy & Teacher Prep: Nicholls State University’s elementary teacher education program earned an “A” from the National Council on Teacher Quality for aligning with the “science of reading,” citing training in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. AI & Skills: A new push argues Africa’s youth are being left behind as AI reshapes jobs, pointing to gaps in practical data and digital skills and calling for private-sector training and better access to learning platforms. Governance & Funding: California education governance is in flux as lawmakers weigh a plan to shift control of the Department of Education, while a separate analysis warns underfunding can force courts to step in. Equity & Inclusion: Jamaica’s education ministry condemned a school’s reported decision to deny graduation gowns to students not meeting exam proficiency, calling it inconsistent with equity and inclusion. Curriculum Politics: Texas approved a Bible-based required reading list for public schools, reigniting church-state and curriculum control debates. Tech Ethics in Higher Ed: Boston College will launch the Krantz Institute for AI, Ethics and Humanity, aiming to train ethical leaders using Jesuit-style humanistic education.

Early Childhood Funding: Fiji boosted early childhood education spending to $34.176 million for 2026-27, arguing the “first step” shapes lifelong learning. Science Teaching Recognition: England’s Hordle CE Primary earned the Primary Science Quality Mark for curriculum and leadership improvements. Scholarships & Access: SouthPoint Financial Credit Union awarded $15,000 total in scholarships to top student essayists focused on personal finance. Teacher Workforce & Rights: Jammu and Kashmir’s SED released a draft Transfer Policy-2026 and plans an annual transfer drive via an online portal, aiming for fair postings and uninterrupted classes. AI in Learning & Work: OpenAI rolled out Codex Remote to paid ChatGPT users, letting developers steer long coding sessions without exposing their machines to the public internet. AI Skills Debate: Research from La Trobe University warns students may “feel” they understand when AI answers, urging explicit teaching on how to use AI for learning. Workforce Development: A Katsina State delegation highlighted capacity building and international partnerships to strengthen education delivery and build a competent education workforce. Curriculum Politics: Texas and Idaho education boards advanced Bible-reading or Bible-infused curriculum requirements, keeping the spotlight on religion in public schooling. Sports for Development: Namibia launched a School Sports for Development programme with UNICEF to build life skills and inclusion through PE.

Texas Curriculum Fight: The Texas State Board of Education approved new social studies standards that require Bible passages for 5.5 million public school students, with phased rollout starting 2030–31—sparking constitutional concerns about religion in public classrooms. Anti-Corruption in Law Schools: Nigeria’s ICPC moved to institutionalise anti-corruption teaching in universities and the Nigerian Law School, aiming for a draft curriculum that could become a stand-alone course or be woven into existing modules. Grade 6 Reform Rollout (Sri Lanka): Sri Lanka’s Education Ministry says it’s ready to implement new Grade 6 reforms next year, with revised learning modules being printed and distributed, supported by the National Institute of Education and the National Education Commission. Screen Time and Health (Kuwait): Kuwait specialists warn excessive device use is linked to vision problems, sleep disruption and behavioral changes, urging parents to use the 20-20-20 rule and watch for warning signs. Workforce + K-12 Push (Minnesota): Amy Klobuchar outlined plans to expand apprenticeships and skills training while boosting K-12 achievement, tying workforce development to higher education pathways. Exam Disruption (Maharashtra): Maharashtra’s TET 2026 was postponed after arrests over an alleged paper leak. Language Inclusion (Telangana): A report highlights how tribal students in Telangana face major hurdles learning Hindi as a third or fourth language, arguing for mother-tongue-based support.

Federal Education Shake-Up: A White House plan would push a confirmed education secretary to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education as much as legally possible, with Congress asked to abolish it—raising questions about how federal student aid and protections for low-income, homeless, and students with disabilities would be handled. Curriculum & Culture Wars: Texas state education leaders approved Bible passages as required reading, extending a broader push to reshape public-school content. AI in Schools: West Ada adopted an AI policy requiring approved tools, parental permission for outside platforms, and clear student disclosure of AI use. Safety & Accountability: Idaho districts and lawmakers are moving on school safety and reporting rules, including armed campus “sentinels” and proposals tied to school-zone crash prevention. Higher Ed & Research Partnerships: IIT Bombay and SUNY Old Westbury announced engineering education and research collaboration, while Kentucky’s postsecondary performance funding model heads into a review. Teaching & Learning Support: Central Minnesota Arts Board funded teaching artist programs, and a North Carolina regional math professional development brought teachers together with research-based strategies.

Reading Instruction Reform: Massachusetts signed a law requiring evidence-based literacy teaching in K-3 and banning “three-cueing,” with districts rolling out state-recommended materials by 2027-28. Right to Education Under Violence: A Rio de Janeiro report says armed violence disrupts commutes and stops classes—377 impacted school days and 1.02 million affected trips between 2023 and mid-2025. Teacher Prep for Science of Reading: Southwest Minnesota State University’s elementary reading program earned an A+ from NCTQ for preparing teachers in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Higher Ed + Industry R&D Gap: A Qatar-focused interview says private firms support projects and hiring, but still don’t fully treat universities as core engines for research and development. International Partnerships: IIT Bombay and SUNY Old Westbury announced a long-term science/engineering partnership centered on AI education and collaborative research. School Safety + Discipline: Ghana’s education minister announced zero tolerance for drug use in schools, including dismissal for students caught with narcotics. Curriculum Politics: Texas education officials are set to vote on a required Bible-inclusive reading list for public schools. Catholic Education Roadmap: U.S. Catholic leaders released “Seven Cardinal Principles” to guide renewal of elementary and secondary schools.

Curriculum Reform Push: Wittenborg University’s rector urged African technical universities to redesign curricula around local business needs and ethical AI, arguing institutions can’t keep operating the old way. Anti-Corruption Education: Nigeria’s ICPC held a Kano workshop to draft an anti-corruption curriculum for law schools, aiming for adoption by the Nigerian Law School. Textbook Overhaul in India: NCERT’s new Class 9 Social Science book adds the Emergency for the first time while omitting the Preamble and references to “secular”/“secularism,” sparking a political row. AI Tutoring at Scale: The UK selected six firms to build free AI tutoring tools for disadvantaged pupils, positioning them as personalized support alongside teachers. Local Curriculum Fight in Texas: Houston ISD’s board approved a Bible-infused Bluebonnet Learning curriculum for 2026–27, drawing community backlash over religious content and incentives. Access and Funding Moves: Philippines lawmakers advanced a private basic education voucher program, while Guam’s education department launched a job fair to fill 240 vacancies for 2026–27. Equity and Wellbeing: UNESCO highlighted how living heritage can enrich learning, and a Cambridge partnership push in Vietnam targets future-ready teachers and bilingual resources.

Private School Vouchers: Philippines lawmakers cleared a reconciled Private Basic Education Voucher Program, moving the country closer to expanding school choice and access to private education. Technical Education Access: Bangladesh lowered the minimum admission age for Class IX in vocational tracks to 12 and suspended admissions at 621 vocational institutions that haven’t enrolled students for a prolonged period. School Food Safety: Bangladesh’s education minister warned of strict disciplinary and legal action over spoiled food in primary schools as the mid-day meal rollout begins. Early Learning & Equity: A new analysis finds maths and writing gaps widening, with more than 90% of poor children falling behind by Year 3. Higher Ed Under Pressure: Johns Hopkins University announced layoffs of about 110 staff tied to shrinking federal research funding. AI + STEAM for Girls: NYC’s Hip-Hop Education Center won a STEAM Forward grant to launch the Hip-Hop STEAMHER Accelerator for girls leading the algorithm. Health Research Expansion: ASU is expanding its Health Observatory in northern Arizona by partnering with TGen North to accelerate infectious disease and community health research. Court Challenge to Education Rule: A federal court granted preliminary relief in a challenge to a U.S. Department of Education rule redefining “professional degree,” affecting nurse practitioner students.

Solar & Schools: India’s SECI and the Education Ministry (DoSEL) signed an MoU to install grid-connected rooftop solar on school buildings under PM Surya Ghar Yojana. School Safety in Heatwaves: UK Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson urged parents to keep sending children to school when schools stay open, as extreme heat closes or partially closes about 1,000 schools. Standards Update: Kentucky’s education officials shared revised social studies standards, aiming to boost student critical thinking, source evaluation, and civic readiness. Student Pathways & Work: University of Guam and Goodwind Development Corporation expanded internships and experiential learning to connect students with local industry. Human Rights & Learning: New Zealand’s HRMI data says rights to quality education are declining, with Māori, disabled people and children flagged as most at risk. Post-school Reform Scrutiny: Scotland’s Auditor General warned of a “concerning gap” between reform plans and progress in post-school education and skills. Medical Education Funding: Nigeria’s federal government pledged N217bn over two years to strengthen medical education and healthcare training. Local Education Administration: Sri Sathya Sai district inaugurated a new District Educational Officer office to speed up services for students and teachers.