AGP Executive Report

Afghanistan Girls’ Education Crisis: UNESCO says Taliban policy has excluded about 2.4 million girls from secondary school, with the figure possibly nearing 4 million by 2030. School Safety Funding: The Philippines’ DepEd is recruiting private partners for its 2026 Adopt-A-School Program, using a new digital platform to back practical security upgrades like fences, CCTV, metal detectors, and security staff. Bullying Awareness Push: Malaysia’s police and a film team are launching the trailer for “Is Not A Joke,” aiming to screen it in 100 schools and tackle bullying that students dismiss as “just a joke.” Violence Prevention After Shooting: Thailand’s prime minister ordered a one-year suspension of new firearm carry permits after a deadly school shooting, alongside tighter checks and a broader safety package. Higher Ed Investment: New Mexico will invest $700 million in college and university infrastructure, funding labs, training spaces, and campus upgrades. Student Support & Learning: A new “Answer U” service at the University of Utah is designed as a single entry point to help students navigate campus resources. Local School Budgets: LAUSD will tighten device use for younger grades and limit access to certain platforms, while a rural Oklahoma district is weighing whether approved teacher raises can be sustained amid a budget shortfall.

School Safety After Landslide: In La Trinidad, Benguet, a slope collapse behind Alno-Kadoorie Elementary School exposed a gash under the campus, prompting tarpaulins and urgent short-term protections while officials plan longer-term fixes. Public Health & School Reopening: Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak has climbed to 232 cases across 18 counties, with experts warning transmission risk may rise as schools reopen. Education Funding in the US: Pennsylvania lawmakers set aside $565 million for 500 districts to address “adequacy” gaps after a court ruling found inequities in school funding. Higher Education Disruption: Lourdes University filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to wind down operations and settle remaining affairs, with assurances about continued accreditation and staff during the process. Teacher Workforce Pressure: Pennsylvania districts report widespread substitute-teacher shortages, adding strain as the new term begins. Climate-Responsive School Planning (Pakistan): Pakistan’s education system is urged to shift from emergency closures to anticipatory planning as smog, heat, floods, and other hazards increasingly disrupt learning. Student Travel Support (Malaysia): AirBorneo joined the FLYsiswa subsidy, offering eligible students RM400 vouchers for domestic flights to return home. Outdoor Learning Continuity (UK): North Yorkshire Council is exploring interim options to keep outdoor education running after the East Barnby centre closure.

School Safety & Disruption Management: In the Philippines, monsoon-driven suspensions hit 6.76 million learners across 10,671 public schools, with hundreds of schools and classrooms damaged and some facilities used as evacuation centers; local officials urged alternative delivery modes while higher education decisions stayed with administrators. AI in Classrooms: Kansas’ Shawnee Mission School District is rolling out a grade-by-grade AI approach—tight limits for pre-K to fourth grade, teacher-guided use for older students, and penalties for submitting AI work as one’s own. Public Health for Students: Qatar’s MoPH, with WHO, launched a global youth video competition on influenza and COVID-19 prevention, inviting 18–35-year-olds to submit until Sept. 13. Education Funding & Governance: Washington’s La Conner School Board adopted a 2026–27 $13.6M budget and plans a technology levy; in Malaysia, a business academic urged a parliamentary debate on Tabung Haji reforms to keep politics out of governance. STEM & Skills Pipeline: The UK opened a £2.5M biomedical training lab at the University of Essex, while Seoul National University used VABS simulation and digital twin work for urban air mobility research. Equity in Education: A lawsuit in Massachusetts argues segregation persists through unequal district resources, challenging the state’s progress since desegregation orders. Learning Support & Community: Corning (NY) scheduled free open swims for students, and Sarasota County celebrated the opening of a new high school plus transportation upgrades for the first day.

Higher Education Policy & Quality Assurance: The Philippines’ EdConnect 2026 convened higher-ed leaders to tackle AI, digital transformation, workforce readiness, and quality assurance, with Mapúa University as guest of honor. Student Rights & Campus Governance: In India’s Jharkhand, aspirants demanding a CBI probe over exam irregularities kept protests moving after talks failed, while in Hyderabad NALSAR students opposed inviting CJI Surya Kant to convocation. Assessment, Exams & Accountability: Cambodia kicked off its 2025-26 Upper Secondary School Examination (Baccalaureate) with 151,238 candidates and thousands of observers; in Ukraine, students staged protests despite Moscow’s missile blitz. School Safety & Wellbeing: Thailand set a 90-day deadline for new nationwide school safety rules after a deadly shooting, including mental health checks, drills, and tighter controls on prohibited items. Back-to-School Support: Multiple communities ran supply and resource drives, including Louisville’s nonprofit bash for families and Oklahoma’s rural district bus-inspection push ahead of classes. Equity & Inclusion: A UK early-years center won praise for highly effective support for children with special needs. Learning & Skills Pathways: UK coverage highlighted the need to expand technical education—especially for women and ethnic minorities—to close engineering shortages.

Immigration Enforcement: ICE says it will seek removal of a Massachusetts high school teacher facing child rape charges after filing an immigration detainer, raising pressure on how schools handle safety and due process. Student Safety & Violence: Thailand’s school shooting death toll rose to at least eight after a 12-year-old girl died, with authorities citing the gunman’s prior online violent content. Accountability in Exams: In Jharkhand, students have kept protesting alleged irregularities in competitive exams as the government offers talks and partial concessions, while leaders promise strict action. Back-to-School Support: Communities across the US are mobilizing—United Way backpack drives, teacher grants, and sports/celebrity-led events—aimed at supplies, haircuts, and readiness for the new term. Education Access & Skills: Bangladesh highlights plans to expand TVET with UN cooperation, while Malaysia backs Tamil national-type schools with major maintenance and upgrade funding. Local School Governance: A US district adopted updated grading policy language after stakeholder pushback, showing how classroom rules can become a political flashpoint.

Specialist provision: A new UK specialist school, Juniper House in Theale, is set to open in September for children aged 8–16 with autism, ADHD, sensory needs and trauma histories. School access & inclusion: A Fiji baseline study says children with disabilities still face barriers to healthcare, education and services, citing inaccessible buildings, transport refusals, delays in support and insufficient disability allowances. Safety and accountability: In Worcestershire, four Worcester primary schools were oversubscribed on National Offer Day, turning away 43 on-time applicants; in Louisiana, a principal warned families that school threats—even “jokes” or social media posts—will be investigated under a new safety act. Funding pressures: Glasgow School of Art says insurance payouts make a full £265m Mackintosh rebuild unaffordable, while a Glasgow adult learning charity warns energy bills could force closure. Back-to-school support: Across the US, districts and nonprofits held major supply and backpack events, including Cleveland’s festival amid school consolidation. Violence and firearms debate: Thailand’s worst school shooting in years killed nine, including three teachers, after the alleged gunman killed his grandparents and then attacked a school. Teacher workforce: India’s central government teachers’ body is pressing the 8th Pay Commission on pensions, retirement age and benefits.

School Safety & Gun Control: Thailand’s worst school shooting in years killed at least eight, including teachers and a 12-year-old student who later died, after a 14-year-old suspect allegedly killed his grandparents and then opened fire at Debsirin School; authorities say gun control will be tightened. Higher Education Policy: Nepal’s Ministry of Education wrapped a “Policy Lab” urging transparent, inclusive, result-oriented university faculty recruitment and promotion, with stronger research and student-friendly management. Teacher Workload & Well-being: Malaysia is pushing a more sustainable approach to teacher workload, citing admin overload, unstable online systems, after-hours tasks, and burnout risks. Education Access & Cost Relief: Malaysia’s NADI Mahir program helps parents buy school uniforms on instalments while training and employing local alumni to sew them. Admissions & Credentials: India’s UGC approved one-year PG options for students with four-year distance/online UG degrees under NEP 2020, while Delhi University released its DU UG 2026 third merit list with seat confirmation deadlines. School Funding & Outsourcing: India’s Pune Municipal Corporation is handing over eight civic schools to private management for nine years, shifting costs as CSR support ends—sparking debate over outsourcing versus strengthening public systems. Back-to-School Logistics: Kerala’s Mahatma Gandhi University postponed Monday exams due to heavy rain, with revised dates to follow.

School Safety & Transport: Florida officials are urging drivers to slow down and avoid distractions in school zones as the new term begins, with warnings about passing stopped buses and rising citations. Traffic Enforcement: A new UK “school streets” scheme will use ANPR cameras around St Birinus and Willowcroft, with penalties for drivers who miss exemptions during drop-off and pick-up hours. Violence & Student Security: Thailand is reeling after a shooting at Debsirin Nonthaburi School near Bangkok killed at least seven, including five staff, after the gunman also killed grandparents at home. Student Protests & Exams: In Jharkhand, protests over alleged JPSC exam irregularities continue as talks with the state government fail to resolve demands, including a CBI probe and cancellation of the exam. Learning & Support Programs: SUNY Canton welcomed new EOP students with expanded statewide funding, while Kennedy Elementary in New York reported strong results using First in Math. Back-to-School Community Efforts: Police-led supply drives and school street safety reminders show how communities are preparing students for the first days. Tech in Education: Malaysia’s education minister challenged Setapak Vocational College students to propose drone-based security ideas for campus.

School Safety and Gun Control (Thailand): Thailand’s prime minister pledged tighter firearms controls after a teen gunman killed relatives and then opened fire at Debsirin Nonthaburi School, prompting renewed debate over youth access to guns and school security. School Governance and Accountability (US): East Baton Rouge’s superintendent, LaMont Cole, turned himself in after indictment over alleged corruption tied to his prior public role, while other districts weigh staffing and policy disputes, including a Palmyra wrestling coaching decision. Learning Conditions (Heat and Cooling): Philadelphia schools are still catching up on air conditioning, with many campuses entering the new year without adequate cooling as heat threatens attendance and learning. Student Support Funding (US): Kansas awarded nearly $82,000 to expand a Family Resource Center in Southern Lyon County, aiming to connect families to help early. Health Education Policy (California): California lawmakers sent the Ready to Learn, Ready for Health Act to the governor, using existing curriculum review to strengthen prevention topics like sleep, nutrition, stress, and digital balance. School Operations (Pakistan/Sindh): Sindh revised public school timings starting Aug. 6, adjusting shifts and schedules through the school year. Higher Ed and Workforce Training (Maine/US): The University of Maine System welcomed new trustees, and Madisonville Community College rolled out fall continuing education and licensing exam prep for trades. Community and Student Life: From back-to-school giveaways and uniform rules to student creativity and voter education awards, local programs are gearing up for the new term.

School Safety Crisis (Thailand): A student opened fire at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok, with reports of fatalities and multiple injuries; police say the suspected gunman died by suicide and the death toll was still being confirmed. Weather Disruption (Philippines): In Antique, two municipalities suspended in-person classes from preschool to senior high as monsoon rains affected roads and learning, shifting students to structured distance learning under the Department of Education framework. Back-to-School Support (US): Frederick County Public Schools held a free community kickoff with haircuts, sports physicals, and school supplies to reduce family stress as the new year begins. Outdoor Learning (Georgia): A forestry grant funded an outdoor education initiative at Richmond Hill & Carver Elementary, aiming to build environmental literacy through hands-on forest and wildlife activities. Student Housing Strain (India): About 140 hostel inmates in Odisha protested poor facilities and sanitation, walking nearly 10 km before authorities intervened and arranged temporary meals and transport. Teacher Workforce (Nigeria): President Tinubu approved recruitment of 3,252 verified PTA teachers into the federal civil service to strengthen staffing in federal schools. Academic Freedom (Global): A V-Dem index report finds university autonomy continues to decline worldwide, with Mongolia standing out as relatively more open than neighbors.

School Safety in the Philippines: Authorities tightened security at Malaybalay City National Science High School after a Facebook Messenger shooting threat triggered a campus lockdown; police inspected classrooms with metal detectors and resumed classes for Grades 11–12 after an all-clear, while the cybercrime unit investigates whether the account was hacked or used for identity theft. School Violence Context: The Philippine National Police chief said shootings in schools are “only a few,” responding to Education Secretary Edgardo Angara’s warning of an “emergency” amid recent violent incidents. Kuwait’s Education Crackdown: Kuwait ordered the closure of its only Iranian private school, revoking its license and halting admissions for 2026–27 amid regional tensions. Inclusive Learning in Malaysia: Penang’s education department launched an internal probe after alleged sexual harassment and AI-manipulated images circulated around a secondary school. Infrastructure for Access: Haiti announced new high schools and nine Higher Technical Education Centers to expand public secondary and technical training. US District Oversight: Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson requested a sweeping performance audit of the School District’s management and operations. Back-to-School Safety: Volusia County crews are maintaining school-zone traffic signals and flashers ahead of the new term.

Student Activism & Security: Police in South Korea sought arrest warrants for four student activists accused of trespassing at the U.S. Osan Air Base, after alleged anti-U.S. chants and filming. Anti-Hate Education: South Korea’s education ministry will host a nationwide training for student union reps on practical ways to curb hate speech in schools and online. School Safety & Health Staffing: In Washington, DC, lawmakers heard concerns about uneven health-suite coverage and a case where a student’s condition outpaced staff training; DC Health says it has filled 78% of planned health positions. Back-to-School Costs: U.S. families and teachers face rising supply prices; one nonprofit in Lakewood gave supplies to 2,000 families, while Aurora’s foundation opened a free “Educator Emporium” for teachers. Teacher Pay Bargaining: Volusia County Schools reached a partial deal on state-funded teacher salary increases, but other bargaining remains open. School Discipline & Conduct: DepEd in Davao City apologized after “inappropriate behavior” by students during President Marcos Jr.’s visit, with parents invited to conferences and disciplinary steps underway. Legal & Rights: A federal court blocked a Michigan school’s ban on a parent criticizing Pride flags, while Oklahoma charter litigation over a publicly funded religious charter school continues. Student Wellbeing: Montana’s Safe Schools Summit returned with crisis response, violence prevention, and mental health resources for educators.

School Safety & Disruption: Eastern Cape pupils and staff are reeling after vandals broke into Hankey Secondary School, stripping wiring and damaging bathrooms, kitchen areas and security fittings. School Closures & Access: The Eastern Cape education department plans to close 123 under-enrolled schools, with 300 more expected, pushing pupils to nearby campuses. Back-to-School Support: In the U.S., communities are mobilizing with supply drives and events, including a backpack giveaway at Olive Street Elementary (Aug. 11) and a free “School-a-Palooza” resource fair with backpacks and services for Waldo County students (Aug. 16). Food & Student Wellbeing: Miami-Dade students will again pay for lunches as a federal free-meal program ends, while a breakfast program at Mary Jane Shannon Elementary in Surrey supports up to 65 hungry children daily. Learning Readiness: A pediatrician in Pennsylvania outlines required back-to-school vaccinations and warns of measles risk. Policy & Equity: Alabama universities removed explicit LGBTQ+ language from non-discrimination policies, and a Wisconsin district dropped race-based hiring quota language after a federal complaint. Funding & Early Learning: Malaysia’s MOE school reform program selects high-performing schools for implementation support, while Naples Children Foundation backs an $8M push to expand early learning and readiness.

Teacher Accountability & Privacy: A teacher’s appeal was dismissed after a judge refused to order disclosure of the identity of the person who reported alleged sexual misconduct involving a Form Two student, keeping the accuser’s name withheld while the case remains unproven. Early Learning & Community Camps: Scotland’s MP-led summer camp in Port-of-Spain South is giving very young children hands-on creative and AI activities beyond the classroom. School Safety & Discipline: Senior students allegedly assaulted junior hostel students in Rayagada, leading to expulsions and a police investigation. School Scheduling Decisions: Missouri’s Sunrise R-9 School District will return to a four-day week after voters approved a proposition, following a missed state deadline that forced a temporary five-day year. Higher Education Access: The U.S. Department of Education approved Iowa’s first Workforce Pell Grant program, letting eligible students use Pell for a short EMT credential at Iowa Central. Learning Outcomes: Australia’s NAPLAN results show one third of students failing numeracy and literacy benchmarks, with remote-school gaps highlighted. Health & Back-to-School Readiness: Clark County families are rushing to meet required school vaccinations before classes begin. Food Support in Schools: A Welsh primary school is planning “Big Bocs Bwyd” food boxes to tackle food poverty while integrating healthier food learning for pupils and parents. Student Wellbeing & Learning Spaces: An NPR report spotlights transforming concrete schoolyards into park-like spaces to improve health and outdoor connection. International Student Politics: A Global Times editorial criticizes U.S. moves to restrict visas for Chinese students, arguing the “national security” rationale is politicized.

Higher-Education Policy Push (US): U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s “National Call to Action” asks universities to reform admissions, strengthen free-speech protections, and improve cost transparency—framing it as dialogue, though some colleges say key issues don’t fit their missions. UK University Restructuring: The Universities of Greenwich and Kent are merging into the London and South East University Group (LASE), creating the UK’s third-largest university while keeping both brands as separate academic divisions. Early Childhood Access (NYC): New York City’s free 2-K program is offering seats to 2,000+ children after 5,700 applications, backed by $73 million in state funding and set to expand. School Safety & Discipline (Global): Police in Cebu City agreed to diversion for two students after a viral fistfight; in Capiz, 26 students fainted after witnessing a fight, with classes suspended. School Safety Blitz (South Africa): Gauteng’s education MEC led stop-and-search operations at three schools, seizing drugs and weapons amid reports of bullying and violence. Back-to-School Support (US): Mississippi is tackling chronic absenteeism (over 27% missing 10%+ of the year) with attendance teams and tougher enforcement, while local groups in places like Mower County are funding weekend food for students. AI in K-12 (Florida): Florida’s Board of Education is considering an AI rule that critics say could burden schools and disadvantage students with disabilities. International Study Opportunities (Malaysia): Australia launched the Australia Awards-Malaysia Semester Programme to let more Malaysians study part of their degree in Australia.

School Safety & Disruption: Philippines police arrested at least 10 people behind online school threat hoaxes, with DepEd warning that prank threats can trigger legal penalties and disrupt learning. School Operations: Balochistan will move to a six-day school week, ending Saturday as a holiday for government and private schools. Back-to-School Access: Virginia’s “SAT School Day” law now requires juniors and seniors to take the SAT on-site during the school day, aiming to reduce barriers while raising scheduling tradeoffs. Mental Health Funding: A federal judge temporarily blocked U.S. Education Department cuts to school mental health grants, keeping Wisconsin’s funding in place while the lawsuit proceeds. Student Welfare & Health: Southern Colorado districts are bracing for wildfire smoke as the school year starts, with health guidance tied to rising air quality. Community & Learning Support: Bradford’s free “Next Steps for School Leavers” event offers guidance on education, training, apprenticeships and jobs, while student-led Student Parliament sessions push youth ideas on safety and mental health. Local Education Leadership: Jackson County Schools is preparing for new campuses opening in 2027-28, including Hoschton High School and Hayes Farm Elementary.