AGP Executive Report

Climate & Education Risk: ECLAC warns that an extreme El Niño could cut Latin America’s GDP by at least 2% over three years and push up to 4.8 million more people into poverty, with flooding, drought and heat likely to disrupt schooling and strain infrastructure. Caribbean Resilience Training: CAF approved a US$200,000 grant for CDEMA to strengthen disaster-resilient home construction across the Caribbean, with training for builders and TVET institutions to adopt resilient building standards. Digital Policy for Schools: St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ education minister joined CTU ICT Week in French Guiana to discuss AI governance and digital inclusion, stressing evaluation frameworks for responsible AI use across sectors including education. Climate Justice Education: The Bahamas’ ORG won a Commonwealth Foundation Climate Justice Unlocked grant to expand climate education and advocacy through workshops, discussions and community resource hubs. Learning Access via Skills Programs: Dominica launched a free online destination training course for travel advisors through its OTT platform, aiming to boost tourism education and local knowledge-sharing. Student-Facing Arts: Pushcart Players is offering discounted Hispanic Heritage Month performances of “Cuentos del Árbol,” using Spanish and Latin American folklore to make theater accessible for students and families.

Climate & Health: A new Climate Impact Lab study warns this year’s El Niño could drive up to 451,000 additional heat-related deaths worldwide by late February, with the biggest toll in poorer regions; India alone could see about 15,800 extra deaths. Education & Policy: The report notes heat is already disrupting basics like health and water access—key conditions for schooling and student safety—while governments are urged to strengthen heat action plans. Regional Learning & Culture: Bogota hosted an Ibero-American film education conference on “Fourth Cinema,” focusing on community, Indigenous and marginal filmmaking practices. Higher Education Funding: Penn announced a $22.5M gift for endowed scholarships and new professorships, including support for international scholars from Latin America. Caribbean Legal Education: Guyana’s Turkeyen Campus broke ground on the region’s fourth Council of Legal Education law school, aiming to expand access across the Caribbean. Human Rights & Learning Environment: A piece on suicide prevention highlights rising concern over student suicide risk and the need for stronger family and school support systems. Diplomacy: Vietnam’s president urged the US to lift sanctions on Cuba at the UN General Assembly, citing impacts on fuel and services including education.

AMIA Case Update: Argentina’s judge has formally charged seven Iranians and a Lebanese national over the 1994 AMIA bombing, moving a decades-long terrorism probe closer to trial. Education & Tech Access: First lady Melania Trump announced “Fostering the Future Together,” partnering with Adobe, Amazon, Google, Intel, N50, Starlink and Zoom to expand educational and technological access for children across 15+ nations. Youth Jobs Pressure: The ILO warns youth unemployment is worsening globally, with NEET rates rising and Latin America/Caribbean seeing declines in both unemployment and NEET. Water for Schools: Jamaica and the Caribbean Development Bank approved a US$36m, five-year rural water programme, explicitly linking reliable water to households, schools and health facilities. Caribbean Learning & Inclusion: Saint Kitts and Nevis’ first lady highlighted the need to include small island youth in global tech and education talks at a UNGA-linked summit. Climate Risk to Education: Coverage flags how climate hazards are threatening children’s schooling across the Caribbean. Regional Research Links: Trinidad and Tobago and Panama explored blue-economy cooperation, including marine research and environmental sustainability. Book Culture: Marlon James and Douglas Stuart are among the Booker Prize 2026 shortlist authors.

New Species Discovery in Bolivia: A Brazilian-led team has identified a new wildcat species, Leopardus tilcayo, in Bolivia’s Nor Yungas cloud forests, based on genomic analysis of a cat nicknamed “Tigrino,” marking the first feline species described in over a century and underscoring how much biodiversity remains unknown. Caribbean Student Leadership: Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness urged University of the West Indies student leaders to push regional integration and build skills for a changing labor market, including more investment in science, math and technology. Education & AI in Paraguay: A study of more than 1,000 Paraguayan university students finds many see AI as a powerful information tool, but raises concerns about originality and integrity—pushing schools to teach judgment, not just answers. Public Health—Measles Surge: Latin America is seeing its highest measles case numbers in over two decades, with PAHO urging stronger vaccination coverage, surveillance and rapid outbreak response. School Community Support in St. Lucia: Students and staff at Entrepôt Secondary School held a prayer for classmates injured in the Cas En Bas crash, including one student who lost a foot. CSEC Resilience in Guyana: A 16-year-old in Guyana, Luanna Gopal, passed all 17 CSEC subjects after her mother’s death, crediting faith, friends and teachers for keeping her on track. Pope Leo XIV Latin America Trip: The Vatican released Pope Leo XIV’s November schedule for Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, including multiple public Masses and major events expected to draw millions.

Higher Ed Data Rules in the US: Colleges and medical schools must report more admissions details—test scores, GPAs, and family income—broken down by race and sex, as federal scrutiny continues over whether schools violated the Supreme Court’s ban on racial preferences. Deportation Policy Under Fire: An investigation says the US deported 25,000+ migrants to “third countries” under secret agreements, with Mexico taking the bulk—raising fresh concerns for rights and safety. Caribbean Teacher Training: Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS) recognized nine second-year teacher trainees with high honours at its pledge ceremony, reinforcing commitments to inclusive, exceptional teaching. Anti-Trafficking Justice Training: CARICOM IMPACS wrapped a five-day regional programme in Antigua and Barbuda using simulated cases to connect trafficking investigations to courtroom proceedings. Guyana Digital School Expansion: Guyana opened registration for expanded free online learning for Grades 1–11, plus new driver’s education and an educator leadership academy for Education Month. STEM Support in Jamaica: A western Jamaica STEM lab is being offered to schools with damaged facilities, helping students complete CSEC/CAPE assessments. Student Spotlight (Caribbean): An Anna Regina Secondary student reportedly sat 30 CSEC subjects, earning 23 Grade Ones.

AI in Education & Work: A new survey finds AI coding tools are now generating 42% of developers’ code (up from 12% a year earlier), with developers shifting time from writing to reviewing, debugging, and integrating. Diplomacy & Learning Access: China says justice at the UN means peace, development, and fairness, while concerns grow that travel limits and host discretion could hollow out equal participation. Caribbean Reparations Strategy: CARICOM reparations talks in Barbados push beyond advocacy toward action, including plans to overhaul school curricula and train children as long-term activists for slavery reparations. School & Student Support: A hydration station program in St. Andrew, St. Kitts and Nevis, is improving access to safe drinking water at Oberlin High School. Energy & School Continuity: Cuba reported a total national power disconnection and is moving to restore supply via micro-grids, prioritizing hospitals and essential services. Regional Education Pathways: Jamaica’s Mount Alvernia High student Kenya Gardener earned top CSEC results by taking subjects early, showing how strong study routines can accelerate learning.

UN Leadership Shake-Up: Chile’s former president Michelle Bachelet withdrew her bid to become the next UN secretary-general after a straw poll left her near the bottom, while polls still show strong competition for the top job from Latin America. Bolivia Education-Adjacent Policy Shock: Bolivia’s Congress approved a $1.9B IMF loan that ends diesel subsidies, a move that could ripple through transport costs for schools and students amid social pressure. Regional Reparations Push: CARICOM leaders, including Sir Hilary Beckles, say the reparations movement is entering a decisive phase, with a revised Ten-Point Plan emphasizing women and Indigenous peoples—also including education and other redress. Public Health & Learning Disruption: Cuba reported its seventh major blackout of 2026, with power failures affecting daily life and services, including schools. Science & STEM Inspiration: Bolivia researchers formally named a new wild cat species after more than a century, a reminder of how local fieldwork and museums can fuel education and conservation. Clean Transport Spotlight: Argentina launched its first solar-powered train, using battery storage charged by local solar energy—an example of low-emissions infrastructure that can support tourism and local learning.

Cultural Diplomacy in Education: Qatar Museums chair Sheikha Al Mayassa joined MALBA’s 25th anniversary in Buenos Aires, spotlighting how museum education and cultural exchange can build cross-regional connections. Sports Training & Anti-Doping: Guyana’s powerlifting federation ran anti-doping education for athletes heading to the South American Championships in Chile, while coaches attended an international training course to upgrade technical capacity. Community Learning Through Sport: Santa Rosa’s long-running Sunday soccer league shows how local, Latino community leagues keep youth engaged and build belonging—while also reflecting how communities respond to misconduct allegations. Caribbean Youth Skills: Junior Achievement Saint Lucia honored its renewed cohort, celebrating practical entrepreneurship training and the partners and teachers behind the program’s comeback. Health & School Safety: Florida confirmed a locally acquired dengue death, underscoring mosquito risk for families; meanwhile, a Cas En Bas vehicle-pedestrian crash injured two students, renewing calls for safer driving near schools. Bolivia Education-Linked Economic Shock: Bolivia approved a $1.9B IMF deal and moved to end diesel subsidies, a shift that could ripple into transport and school access as costs rise. Biodiversity Science With Local Impact: Bolivia researchers identified a new wild cat species, a reminder that local sanctuaries and volunteers can drive major scientific breakthroughs.

Climate & Education: UNICEF reports climate hazards disrupted schooling for 171M students worldwide in 2025, with Colombia alone affecting 374,377 learners—drought was the main driver. Disaster Recovery & School Access: UNESCO backed Jamaica’s #ExamReady, delivering textbooks and supplies to four St. Elizabeth schools as students prepare for CSEC exams. Youth, Learning & Resilience: A UNICEF-commissioned study warns that in parts of the Eastern Caribbean, more than 9 in 10 children could face at least three major climate hazards by mid-century, with heat and drought risks rising. STEM & Opportunities: NASA robotics engineer Andrés Mora co-founded the Central American Space Congress in Guatemala, aiming to connect students, universities and companies to real space-industry needs. Policy & Funding: Bolivia approved a $1.9B IMF loan and ended diesel subsidies—moves that could reshape public services and household costs, with knock-on effects for education systems. Regional Focus: National Geographic’s Blue Boundaries funds wetland research and public education across the Mississippi watershed, the Lower Mekong, and parts of Central America.

AI in Education: Colombia’s President Abelardo de la Espriella says the country will use artificial intelligence to “downsize the government” and reshape public education, with Nubank founder David Velez advising on new tech for classrooms and state services. Public Health & Schools: Chile has been validated by WHO/PAHO as the first South American country to eliminate dog-transmitted rabies as a public health problem, citing decades of dog vaccination, surveillance, and access to post-exposure care. Youth Wellbeing: Dominica’s CARICOM Youth Ambassadors are pushing for stronger mental and physical health support for young people, calling for early identification, reduced stigma, and more accessible services. Regional Reparations: CARICOM relaunched its revised Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice in Barbados, with Secretary-General Carla Barnett stressing reparations must deliver real transformation in health, education, and economic conditions. Education Access: The AFUWI’s Golf & Games Invitational in Brooklyn will raise scholarships for needy students at The University of the West Indies, linking diaspora support to higher education opportunity. Bolivia Biodiversity (Conservation Learning): A newly named wild cat species, Leopardus tilcayo, was identified in Bolivia’s cloud forests, with researchers saying the discovery can strengthen conservation planning.

Education Funding: The GraceKennedy Foundation (GKF) backed Jamaican higher education with more than $32m in scholarships and bursaries, including support for UWI and other tertiary institutions. Sports & Learning: Guyana’s Amateur Powerlifting Federation ran an anti-doping education session for athletes and coaches heading to FESUPO in Chile, guided by CAR-RADO officials and WADA rules. Workforce Skills: The U.S. Department of Energy is putting $16m into mining and critical-minerals education via the PROSPECT Planning Prize, aiming to close gaps in engineering and processing training. Student Life & Culture: Towson University kicked off a Hispanic Heritage Month Film Festival with Latin American cinema and campus Q&As. School Performance: Jamaica’s Denham Town High School reported a sharp jump in CSEC math pass rates, alongside fewer misconduct issues. STEM Discovery (Science Education Angle): Bolivia researchers confirmed a new wild cat species, Leopardus tilcayo, after DNA work—an example of how field science still finds surprises.

Higher Education & Research: UC Berkeley students launched the first-ever Central American Research Group, aiming to build serious, multidisciplinary scholarship on Central America’s links to Maya/Indigenous studies, immigration, and the region’s ties to the U.S. and Latin America. Teacher Labor Rights: In Guyana, the Caribbean Union of Teachers kicked off a regional solidarity campaign with “Orange Fridays” to back the Guyana Teachers Union amid an ongoing dispute over union dues, bargaining, and court compliance. Student Support & Welfare: Brazil’s Lula signed a decree raising Bolsa Familia benefits by 15%, with the minimum monthly payment per family set to increase to 691 reais, tied to children’s school attendance and health requirements. Public Health & Schools: Chile became the first South American country validated by WHO for eliminating dog-transmitted rabies as a public health problem, highlighting vaccination, surveillance, and access to treatment. Community & Learning Spaces: Guyana’s teachers’ rights fight and Chile’s rabies milestone both underscore how education systems depend on stable public services and protections for educators.

AI Skills Push in the Dominican Republic: President Luis Abinader launched “RD Inteligente,” a free AI literacy program via ITLA aiming to train 1 million Dominicans and boost digital use across everyday work and civic life, not just software careers. Quantum Leap for Brazil’s Research: IQM Quantum Computers signed an agreement with Brazil’s Eldorado Research Institute to install its first quantum computer in South America at Eldorado in early 2027, with remote access for Brazilian teams. Higher Education Under Pressure in Colombia: Colombia’s president ended university autonomy rules, granting police access to campuses—an abrupt shift that raises concerns for academic freedom. Immigration Enforcement Fallout in Haiti: A Haitian honor student’s death sparked outrage over ICE ankle monitors and the broader impact of losing protected status, fueling debate on safety and deportation practices. Education Data Spotlight (PISA 2025): New PISA 2025 coverage highlights how Latin America lags globally in secondary education outcomes, with Panama singled out for weak awareness of its own system. STEM and Early Learning Wins in the Caribbean: UWI researchers won a major global education prize for transforming early childhood development, while regional education efforts also continue to expand training and support.

Learning Crisis in Latin America: A new PISA 2025 readout shows secondary-school learning outcomes slipping across the region, with Latin American 15-year-olds falling further behind OECD peers in reading and math and most students not reaching minimum proficiency levels. Student Support Funding: The National Lotteries Authority (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) has started 2026/27 education grant payments to over 3,000 students, covering secondary and TVET streams at the community college. STEM-to-Entrepreneurship Push: Jamaica’s Scientific Research Council and the Jamaica Institution of Engineers signed a three-year MOU to expand STEM education and build an innovation-to-entrepreneurship pipeline. Mental Health Capacity Gap: Sint Maarten’s education minister says the country faces a shortage of child-focused psychologists as concerns grow about minors’ involvement in crime, while student support services remain limited. Digital Modernization in Parliament: Belize’s National Assembly joined a regional workshop on applying AI and digital tools to modernize parliamentary practice, including digitization and responsible AI use. Tech Investment for Education Ecosystems: The Dominican Republic’s digital agenda drew fresh attention after Google Cloud’s Latin America president met President Abinader, highlighting infrastructure upgrades that can support broader learning access. Regional Education Losses: Venezuela’s quake-hit Guaira region is seeing empty seats as schools reopen, underscoring how disasters keep disrupting education. Notable Education-Adjacent News: A Belize parliamentary AI workshop and a Latin America-focused AI English-learning startup funding round (Loora) signal continued investment in learning tools across the region.

Hispanic Heritage Month in schools and campuses: Elon University students kicked off the season with “Floreciendo Juntos,” blending dance, food, and community-building through its El Centro and diversity education efforts. Student support and wellbeing: In Jamaica, a new school hydration station program is helping students stay cool and focused without paying for bottled water, while the Ministry of Education also moved to restructure key family services agencies. Learning and opportunity for young people: A Caribbean sports-development group says academic preparation is the biggest hurdle for student-athletes seeking training in the U.S., pushing a “student first” model. Education access and infrastructure: Antigua and Barbuda extended free universal education from preschool to university, and Jamaica’s NET-linked school upgrades show how practical resources can improve daily learning conditions. Accountability in education-adjacent health products: A Reuters investigation found banned mercury skin-bleaching products still being sold online across multiple countries, raising fresh concerns for consumer safety. Tech and crime risks: Mexico police uncovered a hidden crypto-mining operation tied to laundering, highlighting how digital tools can fuel illicit finance.

Venezuela Education Push: President Delcy Rodríguez urged medical schools to absorb more high school graduates into doctor training, pointing to ELAM as a model for expanding regional access to healthcare. Caribbean School Disruption: In quake-hit La Guaira, Venezuela’s new school year reopened with many classrooms empty as parents kept children home over safety fears, while some schools remain shelter sites. Caribbean Infrastructure for Learning: Canada-backed RIISE facility has started operations for Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines, aiming to speed up climate-resilient public infrastructure delivery. Regional Scholarships: The UK announced new Chevening and Commonwealth Scholarship recipients for Grenada and the Eastern Caribbean, supporting postgraduate study in areas like sport rehabilitation and medical ultrasound. UNESCO STEM Opportunity: UNESCO launched WINGS Caribbean fellowships for mid-career women researchers and innovators, with a Sept. 30, 2026 deadline. Higher Ed Recognition: Dominica’s Olympic triple-jump champion Thea LaFond-Gadson is set to receive an honorary Doctor of Laws from UWI. Tourism Pressure on Communities: Aruba’s tourism authority plans to cap stay-over growth and prioritize higher-spending, responsible visitors—an issue that directly affects housing and quality of life for local residents. Health Research Gap: A new U.S. statement highlights cardiovascular disease as the top killer among Hispanic adults, calling for culturally tailored prevention and better research representation.