AGP Executive Report

Universal Education Push: Antigua and Barbuda is rolling out universal free public education, with the government covering costs from early childhood through university, including key exam and tuition fees. Teacher Union Focus: The Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers is prioritising training for staff representatives, health initiatives, and stronger advocacy for benefits and new contractual arrangements for the 2026–2027 school year. Back-to-School Challenges: In Jamaica, schools reopened amid heat and ventilation problems, with classes temporarily held under trees or tents while leaders call for cooling support. Student Achievement Gains: Jamaica’s Porus High reports a jump in CSEC pass rates, crediting targeted interventions and psychosocial support for students who arrive behind. Youth Violence Prevention: Education Minister Daryll Matthew urged families to teach conflict de-escalation, warning against the “hit back” advice that can fuel youth violence. US Influence via Diplomacy: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio begins a Latin America tour in Colombia aimed at strengthening cooperation on “narcoterrorism,” following Colombia’s right-wing election shift.

Universal Education Push (Antigua & Barbuda): Antigua and Barbuda’s education minister says “universal free education from early childhood to university” is now in place, with government covering CXC exam-related costs and UWI Five Islands tuition to shift access away from family bank balances. Teaching & Learning Funding (Caribbean): A ministry says it’s investing over $1 billion in textbooks, eBooks, virtual learning tools and school nutrition, including lunch and breakfast support for hundreds of thousands of students, plus psychosocial services. Scholarship Loss (St. Kitts & Nevis): St. Kitts and Nevis mourns scholar Zidane Soleil Knight, a Taiwan scholarship student studying mechanical engineering, remembered for top CSEC results. Education in the Region (Caribbean): CARICOM marks CARICOM-Africa Day with renewed calls for stronger Caribbean-Africa ties, highlighting health, connectivity and reparatory justice as priorities for young people. Student Success (Caribbean): A report highlights Caribbean teachers rallying behind an embattled union, underscoring ongoing pressures in the school system. Learning Tech (El Salvador): El Salvador marks five years since adopting Bitcoin as legal tender, pointing to public-school education and training for civil servants as part of its strategy.

Teacher Pay Dispute: In Antigua and Barbuda, more than 300 teachers say they’re still missing retroactive pay as schools reopen, with the union validating claims before taking them to the Ministry. AI in Schools: El Salvador’s AI tutoring pilot shows early gains: students in 171 public schools scored above national averages in reading, math and science, with results comparable to Germany and Sweden on a PISA for Schools assessment. Caribbean Security & Culture: New York’s West Indian Day Parade (Labor Day) goes ahead with heightened NYPD security, including 13 screening checkpoints and tighter rules on prohibited items, amid past violence concerns. Slavery Reparations Push: Jamaica’s delegation arrives in London to petition King Charles III for legal guidance on whether Britain has a legal duty to provide redress for slavery in Jamaica, including questions on English and international law. Deep-Sea Research: Trinidad and Tobago’s Deep Wonders expedition documented multiple deep-sea sites, with scientists now weighing which areas may need protection. Tech Diplomacy: Trinidad and Tobago faces renewed U.S.-China tension over Chinese technology partnerships, as Beijing warns against outside interference. Education & Mobility: A new shuttle route at UT Austin connects campus buildings to the LBJ Presidential Library every 30 minutes, supporting students in public affairs and Latin American studies programs.

School Policy Watch (France): France’s opt-in school uniform trial won’t continue nationally for 2026-27 after mixed results, with the education minister saying academic gains weren’t clear and impacts on school climate varied by place. Migration & Education Access (US): The State Department published the DV-2026 Diversity Visa “Green Card Lottery” ineligibility list: 19 countries are barred, including several Latin American nations such as Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico. STEM & Youth (Caribbean): Barbados’ Republic Bank CPL is launching “CPL Next Gen,” with school-nominated 11–14-year-olds getting three days of cricket clinics before a televised showcase at Kensington Oval. Learning & Inclusion (Latin America): A two-year study across 11 Latin American countries found culturally adapted lifestyle programs improved older adults’ memory and thinking, especially with more structured coaching. Education Culture & Voice (Caribbean): A Guyana piece urges students—especially girls—to “speak louder,” challenging the idea that quietness equals refinement. Research Equity (Global South): A study says many species discovered in poorer countries are archived in wealthier nations, highlighting a knowledge-access gap. Cartography & Representation (UN): The UN backed “Equal Earth” map use to correct long-running distortions that shrink Africa’s perceived size.

Venezuela–U.S. Oil Deal: Venezuelans are reacting with anger and anxiety after acting President Delcy Rodríguez agreed to give the U.S. control of about one-fifth of the country’s oil reserves, with critics calling it a surrender and warning they have little power to intervene. School Resilience in the Caribbean: Jamaica’s Edwin Allen High School is reopening after Hurricane Melissa damage, using the repairs as a long-awaited infrastructure upgrade—while Bustamante High School faces the opposite problem: a steep drop in enrollment tied to poverty and students leaving before exams. Inclusive Education for Deaf Students: Trinidad and Tobago’s Cascade School for the Deaf will receive “Republic Readers” literacy and numeracy books adapted into Trinidad and Tobago Sign Language, expanding access through local teacher-led partnerships. UN Map Reform: The UN General Assembly backed a new “Equal Earth” world map to correct distortions that make Africa look smaller, with the U.S. the lone vote against—an issue tied to how countries and regions are represented. Central America Health Crisis: A cross-border investigation highlights mesoamerican nephropathy, a growing kidney disease affecting workers along the Pacific coast from Costa Rica to Guatemala, with heat stress and agrochemicals among suspected drivers.

UN Education & Maps: The UN General Assembly backed the “Equal Earth” world map, urging countries to move away from the Mercator projection that visually shrinks Africa and parts of Latin America and South Asia; 164 voted in favor, the US voted against, and Togo’s foreign minister said maps shape education and perceptions. Guyana Higher Education: Guyana broke ground for its first law school at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen campus, aiming to end long-standing regional placement caps that limited aspiring lawyers. Caribbean School Support: Saint Lucia kicked off the 2026–27 school year with a week-long ministerial tour and new initiatives, including a midterm break and added focus on teachers’ mental health. Inclusive Education in Jamaica: A Jamaican deaf graduate says deaf students need qualified classroom interpreters to succeed in mainstream schools, citing her own experience without support. Student Recognition: Castries East held its 18th annual maths quiz and honours ceremony to spotlight primary students and invest in community learning. Teacher/Faculty Exchange: The US Mission in Nigeria welcomed a Yale professor for a 10-month Fulbright role at UNILAG, including faculty training and curriculum redesign.

UN Map Reform: The UN General Assembly backed the “Equal Earth” projection, a shift meant to show Africa’s true relative size while making North America and Europe look smaller; 164 countries supported it, with the US voting against and six abstaining, and the resolution urges governments, schools and media to use the new standard where accurate area matters. Education & Learning Impact: The UN frames maps as tools that shape education and public imagination, and the change is likely to affect how students and audiences visualize geography for years. Regional Student Assessment: UNESCO is preparing to release ERCE 2025 results, the region’s key primary education learning study across Latin America and the Caribbean, with first findings due in December 2026 for Grade 3 and Grade 6 reading, math and science. Creative Economy & Skills: Nigeria announced Afrocentric Cultural Expo 2026, projecting N125m in local economic injection and positioning arts and culture as a jobs and growth lever. School-Year Context: Cuba is marking the start of the school year as an achievement of its social protection system.

UN Map Reform: The UN General Assembly backed the “Correct the Map” push, voting to promote the Equal Earth projection over Mercator—an effort led by African states to better reflect Africa’s true size and influence how geography is taught and perceived. Caribbean Education & Inclusion: UNESCO’s inclusive education and digital transformation programme wrapped up in St. Maarten, training officials on responsible AI and education access, while Jamaica’s Mico CARE Centre received a new autism intervention classroom funded via the CDB. Scholarships & Skills: St. Kitts and Nevis UWI alumni restarted chapter networking with a “Meet and Mingle” event, and the Dutch Foundation for Literature approved 12 Caribbean literary projects across Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao and St. Maarten. Health in Schools/Clinics: Mexico’s Health Ministry confirmed a salmonella outbreak at a major hospital that sickened 135 resident doctors, prompting a shutdown of the cafeteria’s contracted food service. Policy Access: Florida’s Board of Governors approved a rule barring undocumented students from state public universities starting 2027–28. Sports Integrity: India’s Under-19 leg-spinner Rohit Yadav received a two-year ban for age fraud, alongside dozens of other players after documentation checks.

Regional Higher Education: Guyana broke ground for a new regional law school run by the Caribbean Council of Legal Education, with Attorney General Anil Nandlall saying it will serve the wider region (not just Guyanese students) and target 120+ learners. Caribbean Skills & Jobs: The CARICOM Youth Ambassador Corps announced a new dean focused on youth well-being and employment, keeping mental health and jobs at the center of its agenda. AI & Data Access: The Caribbean Development Bank flagged a data-sharing problem that could limit the region’s AI growth, with experts calling for better cross-country data access and clearer use of privacy rules. Public Procurement Training: CDB opened applications for two fully funded public procurement scholarships in Italy for 2026/27, aiming to strengthen procurement systems across Caribbean borrowing member states. Climate Risk for Education Systems: Reports on El Niño’s intensifying impacts and Nepal’s glacial disaster underscore how extreme weather can disrupt communities and infrastructure—raising pressure on disaster-ready planning across the region.

Arts & Youth Culture: New York’s Art Is Alive Festival returns for its 10th anniversary with a free week of West African and Caribbean dance, drumming, wellness classes, and a street finale in Bed-Stuy (Sept. 13–19). Digital Skills for Students: Saint Lucia’s Bank of Saint Lucia launched the Elevation Creative Hub at Clendon Mason Memorial School, giving youth a dedicated space for digital skills, creativity, and mental wellness. Caribbean Education & Skills: Jamaica reported strong City & Guilds Stage 3 results, with 81% passing English and 66% passing Maths, crediting structured preparation and teacher workshops. Workforce Development in the Region: The Caribbean Tourism Organization will host a Future Leaders Forum in Guyana (Oct. 5) to connect students and emerging tourism professionals with leaders on AI, climate, entrepreneurship, biodiversity, and workforce development. Health Monitoring: Hawaiʻi’s Department of Health detected dengue virus in Hilo wastewater but reported no active cases, while follow-up testing is pending. Climate & Water Impacts: Yukon First Nations are intensifying river monitoring as thawing permafrost appears to be changing water chemistry and harming aquatic habitats. Education in Crisis: Cuba’s back-to-school season is under strain, with shortages of uniforms, teachers, and basic equipment.

Education Trend: “Aura farming” is turning into a real-world youth dance craze across Latin America, with participants in Peru dressing as pop-culture characters and competing for crowd “applause” as they battle through moves. Language Access: Costa Rica is launching a national English initiative with Open English, offering up to 2 million free licenses over four years for people aged 15+ to boost employability. AI & Skills (Haiti): Haiti is moving ahead with AI capacity-building, including a national roadmap for responsible AI and the creation of UNITECH’s first lab focused on cybersecurity and AI. Health & Learning Context: A wastewater test in Hawaiʻi County detected dengue virus; the report notes dengue risk is common across Central and South America, reinforcing the need for public health awareness that also affects school attendance and community stability. Higher Education/Research: A study presented by researchers linked to Chile and Argentina suggests learning multiple languages may be associated with slower brain aging. Oil & Policy Backdrop: Chevron plans to expand in Venezuela after a major US-Venezuela oil deal—an economic shift that can shape education funding and labor markets indirectly.

Indigenous-led conservation in Ecuador: Siekopai “turtle women” in the Amazon are using traditional egg-handling knowledge plus documentation and river cleanups to help vulnerable charapa turtles recover amid hunting, pollution, and climate-driven flooding. Education & early childhood spotlight: The 2026 Yidan Prize named two UWI scholars for Reach Up, an early childhood program supporting caregivers and children from birth to age four in vulnerable communities. Student life and inclusion tensions: West Virginia University’s new Center for Community, Connections, and Culture opened after state moves restricting DEI at public schools, with students voicing expectations at a town hall. School-year pressures in the Caribbean: Dominica successfully hosted a six-week CXC exam programme, while St. Lucia reported mixed CSEC results with many failing Maths. Youth culture in Latin America: AP reports “aura battles” spreading from video games to real-life events across Latin America, with some local authorities canceling due to permits. Venezuela education-adjacent policy fallout: U.S. moves to expand oil involvement in Venezuela are framed as “stabilization,” “recovery,” and “transition,” raising broader questions for public services and governance.

Education & Access: Jamaica’s Parliament website overhaul has been pushed back, with officials saying accessibility tools for people with disabilities are still being finalized. Medical Training: Antigua and Barbuda marked the end of its 2025–26 medical internship programme at Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, with new doctors moving toward full registration. Student Pathways: Jamaica’s Knockalva Polytechnic College is offering a free Sixth-Form Pathways Programme combining CSEC subjects with practical skills and certifications. Workforce & Skills: MicroSourcing inaugurated its first Latin America delivery center in Bogotá, aiming to expand nearshore services using Colombia’s multilingual talent. Community Learning: The Caribbean Tourism Organization will launch a Future Leaders Forum at SOTIC 2026, using a student town-hall format to connect young people with tourism leaders. School Safety: In the U.S., Benton police said a report of a Boys & Girls Clubs staffer punching an 8-year-old was unfounded after reviewing security footage.

Education in Cuba: Cuba marked the 2026–27 school year start in Havana, calling it an achievement of social protection and noting a major education budget allocation despite ongoing pressures. School Year Prep in the Caribbean: St. Kitts and Nevis welcomed a new cohort of teachers ahead of the 2026–27 academic session, with senior officials outlining priorities for the year. Curriculum Debate in Curaçao: A teacher-entrepreneur in Curaçao is pushing for a fundamental rethink of the education system, arguing autonomy should shape curriculum, language, and purpose rather than defaulting to inherited Dutch models. Skills for the Future of Work: Tecnológico de Monterrey’s Institute for the Future of Education opened applications for TecPrize 2026, seeking tech-based solutions to close the skills gap across Latin America and the Caribbean. STEM/Health Learning Angle: A Rutgers-led study identified 36 genes linked to OCD and chronic tic disorders, pointing to new possibilities for future treatments.

Special Needs Inclusion Under Pressure: Jamaica’s Ministry of Education officials say classrooms now include trauma, developmental delays, ADHD, intellectual disabilities and autism, but frontline support is strained, including a Special Needs Unit that has reportedly operated for years without air conditioning. Labor Rights in Public Works: In Antigua and Barbuda, Public Works employees returned to a picket line over unpaid overtime, back pay, employment letters and incentives, with workers saying delays are hitting families hard as the new school year approaches. Teacher Capacity Spotlight: Jamaica’s Region 4 was praised for the highest teacher certification rate and strong early learning and exam performance despite hurricane damage, as leaders push for consistent quality learning experiences. Climate and School Infrastructure: In Jamaica, a primary school in St Elizabeth says tents are unusable due to extreme heat, forcing plans for ventilated classrooms as El Niño conditions intensify. Caribbean Drought Attribution: A study using World Weather Attribution links early wet-season rainfall drops in Jamaica and Puerto Rico to human-caused climate change, raising odds of severe dry spells. Education and Workforce Pipeline: Sandals Corporate University reports nearly 15,000 Caribbean learners and highlights hospitality leadership training tied to practical capstone projects.

Education & Career Pathways: Carnival Corporation brought students aboard Carnival Horizon for educational ship visits in Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, spotlighting cruise and hospitality careers. Policy & Accountability: Experts and lawyers question the legality and execution of the US–Venezuela long-term oil deal, urging contract transparency after concerns about secret negotiations and lack of disclosed operators. STEM/Skills & Youth Programs: The Congressional APP Challenge reopened for middle and high school students, inviting app-building in STEM and coding with support from participating lawmakers. Learning Through Hospitality: The Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF) returns to Barbados in November with three days of meetings, educational sessions and an exchange hub for hotel operators. Climate & Safety Context: Hurricane Karina rapidly intensified to Category 4 as El Niño fueled multiple systems, with warnings about dangerous surf and rip currents affecting Mexico and the Baja California Peninsula. Financial Literacy Research: Curaçao’s central bank and the University of Curaçao dr. Moises da Costa Gomez launched an extraordinary chair in financial wellbeing to link research with real-world resilience and stability.