AGP Executive Report

Student Wellbeing: Police in the Philippines urged stronger mental-health support after a missing University of the Philippines Los Baños student was found safe; Gujarat is also making counsellors and school wellness teams compulsory. School Disruptions: Cyclone Murasu prompted school and college closures in Chennai and Tiruvallur, while Athens schools reopened after inspections found no gas leak. Access and Funding: Minnesota districts report lost students and funding amid immigration enforcement, with possible teacher layoffs in St. Paul. Manitoba is pressing Ottawa to reconsider immigration rules as international student numbers and college graduates fall. Education Workforce: Workers in Cyprus education support programmes began an indefinite strike over employment and pay disputes. Higher Education: Indonesia is urging universities to help build a domestic semiconductor research and skills pipeline, while a new library partnership in Nebraska aims to widen public access to university resources.

School Safety: A Russian drone strike on a vocational-school dormitory in Ukraine’s Vinnytsia region killed two people, including a 13-year-old, and injured six others; the dorm was sheltering displaced families. Skills and Higher Education: Malaysia’s higher education minister urged universities and employers to work together on curricula and teaching, not just internships, to prepare graduates for AI-driven changes in the job market. Student Wellbeing: Gujarat is requiring schools to provide mental-health support and counsellors, while Selangor schools will stay open during haze, with masks advised and families allowed to keep children home. Access to Education: A Tennessee women’s club donated more than $23,000 for Roane State scholarships, bringing its lifetime contributions above $178,000 and supporting adult learners and high-school students earning college credits. The Islamic University of Madinah also extended its online-course application deadline for international applicants to Nov. 7. Student Protests: More than 100,000 students rallied across Germany against spending cuts and military conscription.

Foundational Learning: In the Philippines, 75% of Grade 1 pupils are struggling readers, while 45% of learners in Grades 1–3 lag in reading; education officials are urging stronger early-years teaching. Climate & Schooling: A senator has called for localized decisions on class suspensions as the country prepares for El Niño, citing 20 lost teaching days per public elementary school last year and reading setbacks after closures. School Meals: Assam teachers warn some schools may halt midday meals because government funds are months overdue and suppliers are no longer extending credit. University Access: Active Indian student numbers in the US fell 13.5% in a year to about 317,000, with the sharpest decline in master’s programmes. Student Protests: More than 100,000 students rallied across Germany against education cuts and proposed conscription, demanding greater investment in schools and public services. Recovery Accountability: Jamaica’s PNP youth group is pressing for a public dashboard detailing hurricane-damaged school repairs, costs, contractors and completion dates.

Early Literacy: A Philippine assessment found 75% of Grade 1 pupils struggling to read, prompting lawmakers to urge closer links between early-childhood and primary curricula; 45% of pupils in Grades 1–3 are behind. School Safety: Malaysia’s prime minister ordered firm action on school bullying, while a six-year-old girl in India’s Panchkula was seriously injured in an alleged assault at school, prompting protests and an inquiry into supervision. Religious Education: Malaysia pledged new funding for Islamic schools in Kelantan and said it would create pathways for traditional pondok students to attend university. Student Protests: Students in Germany planned nationwide rallies calling for more education funding and opposing social cuts and military conscription; French student unions also called for renewed school and university blockades.

Exam Integrity: South Korea plans criminal complaints and a three-year ban on retaking university entrance exams for students caught cheating with smart glasses; the tougher rules may not apply to next month’s test. School Accountability: West Bengal proposes barring school staff from political activity and linking raises and promotions to student results. Student Voice: Jamia Millia Islamia has approved a path to restore its students’ union, dissolved since 2006, with elections expected in 2027 and protest-related disciplinary cases set to be withdrawn. Teaching Innovation: Indian artist and educator Rouble Nagi won the $1 million Global Teacher Prize for turning neglected walls into learning spaces for children in underserved communities. Access and Equity: Irish schools say hundreds of laptops paid for by families remain undelivered months into the school year. In New Zealand, UN concerns and Waitangi Tribunal findings over education reforms have renewed debate about Māori rights and participation in schooling.

Academic Recognition: Malaysia named former Universiti Putra Malaysia vice-chancellor Aini Ideris its National Academic Figure, honoring her research in animal medicine and biotechnology. Student Protests: French authorities have opened 83 investigations into alleged police and gendarmerie misconduct since high school demonstrations and school blockades began. Learning Outcomes: Guam’s public schools face persistent low test scores: about 85% of elementary pupils miss English standards, even as spending per student has risen 62% in three years. Inclusive PE: A University of Winchester study will survey 400 neurodivergent pupils to compare traditional PE lessons with more flexible, game-based approaches. Refugee Education: A report warns that 5.8 million refugee children remain out of school as funding cuts threaten progress. School Access: After a 12-year delay, a sports school in Malaysia’s Perlis state is scheduled to open in June 2027, initially enrolling 75 students.

Learning Outcomes: Guam’s public schools face deep foundational gaps: 85% of students in grades 3–5 are below English standards, while 91–95% fall short in math. The findings come as per-pupil spending has risen 62% to $21,070, prompting calls for systemwide changes. Teacher Workload: Taiwan’s education minister says upcoming guidance will protect teachers’ right to disconnect after hours, following a Taipei school’s policy limiting after-hours contact to emergencies. Affordability: Odisha refunded 69.23 crore rupees in college admission fees to 111,678 students who paid before a free-education scheme took effect. School Staffing: 758 primary schools in Bangladesh’s Gaibandha district reportedly lack head teachers, affecting classroom teaching. Digital Access: Malawi plans to connect 2,000 schools to the internet.

School Safety: Uganda says boarding schools operating without authorization may face sanctions, with inspections and standards for supervision, food and hygiene. Venezuela is running nationwide earthquake-evacuation drills, while a Caracas school renovation has improved facilities for 100 children. Student Support: At South Africa’s CPUT, students say their final meal allowance arrives Friday even though classes continue until Dec. 21, leaving some to stretch funds for weeks. Academic Freedom: Nova Scotia university teachers accuse the premier’s office of intimidating a professor who criticized a proposed data centre; UN experts have also condemned police violence against French student protesters. International Access: Central Michigan University expects international enrollment to keep falling as visa difficulties block students, particularly from India.

Learning Access: More than 580 public-school students in Leyte, Philippines, received vision screenings, with children who qualify set to get free glasses in December. Digital Divide: Johor is providing 5,000 low-income students with prepaid SIM cards and 50GB of data each to support online learning during haze disruptions. Student Protests: University students in Berlin blocked campus buildings to protest education cuts and plans to revive military conscription, calling for greater investment in higher education. School Safety: An inquiry into a Peshawar school roof collapse that killed at least 31 people blamed the building owner for substandard materials and cited failures by oversight agencies. Skills and Investment: Indonesia is developing vocational-school programmes with extra specialist training and employer partnerships to improve job prospects, while a €25 million European Investment Bank loan will help Varaždin, Croatia, upgrade schools and other public facilities.

Student Protests: UN experts condemned violence and mass arrests against student demonstrators in France, who are demanding a functioning education system, better learning conditions and more equal access. Access to Higher Education: Ireland’s High Court overturned a visa refusal for a Palestinian student with a scholarship to study at University College Cork, citing errors in the assessment; her application must be reconsidered. School Funding: Minnesota voters will decide whether to increase public school funding from the state’s Permanent School Fund, without raising income or property taxes. AI in Classrooms: An opinion piece argues schools should use AI to build students’ thinking skills, not simply supply answers; it cites a survey in which 67% of student AI users said the technology was harming their critical thinking. Arts Education: Year 12 enrolments in Australia fell from 2015 to 2023 in drama, dance, music and visual arts, amid concerns that STEM and job-readiness priorities are squeezing out creative subjects. International Partnerships: Togo and Russia signed education and research cooperation agreements that could support infrastructure, agricultural training and scholarships for Togolese students.

Teacher Recruitment: Uttar Pradesh has clarified that reservation for 17,735 assistant-teacher vacancies will be calculated school by school, not across the full recruitment pool. Equity and Funding: A Philippine education coalition is urging senators to restore and raise funding for special-needs, Indigenous and Madrasah education, alternative learning, remote schools and academic recovery. Rural Access: Malaysia plans to add 10 schools to its K11 programme next year, allowing pupils to complete primary and secondary education at one school, especially in rural areas. Teacher Training: Nigeria’s colleges of education will adopt a new curriculum covering digital skills, inclusive education and practical teaching, alongside a plan to expand degree offerings. College Affordability: US Representative Adelita Grijalva is gathering student input on a bill to eliminate tuition and fees at eligible community, technical and tribal colleges. Campus Outlook: The University of Providence plans to cease educational operations after the 2026–27 academic year. Learning Conditions: A public junior high school in Liberia’s Maryland County says shortages of desks, chairs and teaching materials are undermining learning for its 500 students.

Student Power in Serbia: A student-backed opposition movement won 141 of 250 parliamentary seats, ending the ruling party’s 12-year hold on power. Its next challenge is turning protest momentum into stable government. International Education: Australia’s appeal to prospective overseas students has dropped sharply: fewer than one in four now rank it as a top choice, down from more than one in three six months ago, amid tighter and shifting visa rules. Rural Nursing Pipeline: Heritage University received a $2.5 million federal grant to help students from 11 rural Washington high schools earn nursing degrees and serve local communities. Career Skills: Charles County schools are considering a data science career pathway, developed with the College of Southern Maryland, for launch next fall. Learning and Health: A study of more than 100,000 UK participants links an extra year of schooling to lower later-life dementia risk, including for people with elevated genetic susceptibility.

Severe Weather: Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have closed schools as Cyclone Arnab approaches, with emergency teams on standby and authorities preparing school buildings as possible shelters. Student Politics: A student-backed list has defeated Serbia’s ruling party after nearly two years of protests; its push for anti-corruption and judicial reforms now faces the test of governing. Education Investment: Qatar says a QR6.4 billion public-private programme will develop 22 schools, alongside efforts to expand skills training and equal access to learning. Girls’ Education: An Italian aid worker says an underground Afghan school taught girls barred from secondary and higher education, including daughters of Taliban members; the account could not be independently verified. University Disruption: Glasgow Caledonian University staff have begun nine days of strikes over proposed job cuts, with the union warning that much of students’ first term has already been disrupted. Learning Access: Liberia’s Nyonblee Cares Foundation graduated 52 children from an accelerated programme designed to help out-of-school students return to formal education.

Student Support: First Nations University of Canada is offering 250 bursaries worth $1,800 each to help students afford unpaid placements, including practicums and fieldwork. Student Protests: France has promised to overhaul its university admissions platform by 2028 after weeks of protests over access, school funding and living costs; student leaders say the measures fall short. Serbia’s student-led movement also scored a decisive election victory after months of protests. Learning and AI: Michigan educators are undertaking science-of-reading training as state reading scores remain low. In Australia, warnings that AI could enable cheating have renewed debate over exam security as more than 80,000 students begin final tests. School Disruptions: Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are closing schools in vulnerable areas ahead of Cyclone Arnab, expected to make landfall Wednesday.

Campus Safety: Philippine police ordered stronger bomb-threat planning in Metro Manila schools after a threat at the University of Santo Tomas prompted evacuations and remote classes. Student Power: Serbia’s student-backed opposition claimed a landmark election victory, ending the ruling party’s 14-year hold on power; Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat. Campus Democracy: Jamia Millia Islamia announced student union elections after a two-decade pause, but protesters say the timeline depends on constitution approval and does not meet their demands; they vowed to continue their hunger strike. Education Under Attack: An Israeli strike on a Gaza City university killed three people, including staff, and wounded students, as Gaza’s education ministry said classes were underway. Teacher Workforce: England is considering allowing council-school teachers to complete contracted hours over four days, with other teachers covering classes on the fifth. Digital Learning: India’s prime minister launched a scheme to provide 500,000 students with Chromebooks over two years.

Gaza’s Education Crisis: Strikes on Gaza City’s Islamic University killed three staff members and injured students, forcing the campus to suspend classes and other activities. School Facilities: A new flood-resilient building in Sarawak, Malaysia, will serve 94 pupils after years of disruption. Student Politics: Serbia’s election put President Aleksandar Vučić against a student-led opposition movement, following nearly two years of protests; results were not yet clear. Education Protests: Demonstrations across Europe have grown from complaints about teacher shortages and rundown schools into wider protests over living costs and public services. Teacher Support: Haiti plans to turn 101 public schools into centers for teacher development and classroom support. Student Aid: Delhi is preparing individual aftercare plans and higher-education grants of up to ₹2 lakh for young people leaving care homes.