AGP Executive Report

Education Access & Equity: A Jamaican teen born without hands, Tyrece Johnson, was offered a full scholarship to Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts but has deferred entry after costs and housing in Kingston proved too high. Inclusive Sports & Learning: Special Olympics Caribbean secured strong stakeholder backing for Jamaica’s first-ever Special Olympics Beach Games in Montego Bay (Nov. 18–22), with plans spanning multiple sports and support from local government and partners. School Performance & Foundations: Caribbean-linked City & Guilds exams (seen as comparable to CSEC) highlight how early math and language foundations drive later success, with Kemet Maasai Academy students earning distinctions and merits. Environment & Student Research: Studies and local reporting flag plastic-waste impacts across Latin America and the Caribbean, including microplastics in Tobago’s coastal debris and mangrove ecosystems in Colombia—raising new stakes for environmental education and practical learning. Policy & Skills Training: Guyana commissioned an Occupational Safety and Health Centre of Excellence at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute, aiming to expand hands-on OSH training for safer workplaces.

School Leadership & Independence Celebrations: St. Kitts and Nevis’ Federal Cabinet continued annual school visits across the West Zone, meeting students, teachers and early childhood centres as part of Independence Day programming. Regional Education & Youth Support: The Allied Masonic Degrees of the South and East Caribbean awarded scholarships to two University of the West Indies students at Cave Hill. Campus Life & Student Development: UWI’s George Alleyne Hall hosted “Ctrl George,” a student showcase mixing clubs, leadership tracks and cultural programming. Health Education Focus: Caribbean Wellness Day 2026 is set for Sept. 12, with CARPHA urging youth-centered action to tackle non-communicable diseases. Learning Outcomes Watch: Argentina’s latest PISA results again raise alarms, with 76% of students below the minimum math level. Skills for the Future: The Dominican Republic launched RD Inteligente to train 1 million people in AI skills for work and study. STEM & Training Infrastructure: Guyana commissioned a $100M Occupational Safety and Health Centre of Excellence in Region Six to expand safety training and workforce development. Language & Culture Learning Resources: Rudolph Academy released a Hispanic Heritage Month Activities hub for teachers and learners. Education Through International Cooperation: Venezuela and Suriname signed agreements covering education alongside energy, fishing, transport and agriculture to deepen regional ties.

Brazil Election Watch: A corruption and money-laundering probe has rocked Flavio Bolsonaro’s presidential bid, with police investigating alleged crimes tied to financing a film about his father and conducting raids this week—raising fresh questions for voters ahead of the Oct. 4 vote. Immigration & Campuses: Students at the University of Central Florida rallied against ICE and the school’s 287(g) agreement, pushing to end the campus’ ICE-linked enforcement role. Regional Security & Education: Colombia’s Caribbean coast is again in focus as analysis highlights how criminal groups target “corridors” like ports and highways, shaping daily life far beyond crime headlines. Global South Diplomacy: BRICS leaders are gathering in New Delhi for the summit amid wars and energy shocks, with attention on whether the bloc can deliver practical resilience for countries in the Global South. Learning & Policy: Antigua and Barbuda is rolling out universal free education for the new term, while other Caribbean education updates point to ongoing gaps in school support and reconstruction.

PISA Learning Setback: The Dominican Evangelical Alliance is urging a national response after the latest PISA results showed stalled learning across Latin America and the Caribbean, with the Dominican Republic reporting very low minimum proficiency shares in math, reading and science. Heat-Proofing Schools: Saint Lucia schools are adjusting routines to protect students in hot weather, including allowing water during class and using ventilation and shaded instruction instead of relying on costly full air-conditioning. Education Policy & Access: St. Kitts and Nevis’ federal cabinet is kicking off annual school visits ahead of Independence Day, covering early childhood through secondary and college levels. Regional Cooperation for Skills: Venezuela and Suriname leaders signed new strategic pacts that include education and technical training, with a focus on oil-and-gas aligned courses and knowledge exchange. Student Safety Alerts: The CDC warned of a nationwide rise in rabies exposures in the U.S., highlighting the need for careful risk assessments and proper post-exposure prevention. Sports & Youth Spotlight: Colombia is arriving in Argentina for the South American Games with 415 athletes, while Caribbean youth programs are boosting back-to-school support with stationery and mentorship.

Peru–U.S. Security Deal: President Keiko Fujimori met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Lima as Peru formally joined the Trump-backed “Shield of the Americas” to fight transnational organized crime, signaling tighter U.S. security alignment in Latin America. Child Protection & Adoption Law: A U.S.-hosted high-level plenary in Jamaica brought together international child welfare experts to advance Jamaica’s position on the Hague Convention on inter-country adoption, with education and child safety at the center. Back-to-School Support in Jamaica: Excelerate Energy’s Back-to-School Financial Aid Programme backed 1,000+ students in St James, Clarendon and St Catherine with vouchers, bursaries, medical checks and supplies. Teachers’ Construction Concerns (Antigua & Barbuda): The local teachers’ union says some schools still await promised upgrades, highlighting gaps between announcements and classroom needs. Scholarships for Haitians: Haiti’s foreign ministry opened applications for an IILA–MAECI/DGCS postgraduate internship scholarship, with deadlines set for Sept. 30, 2026.

Medical Training Reform (Panama): Panama is preparing a bill to cut medical internships from two years to one, saying most countries in the region use a one-year model and hospitals must adjust to cover teaching needs. Higher Ed & Access (Caribbean/Latin America): A wider push for education support shows up in multiple places, including scholarship and learning initiatives, while regional leaders keep spotlighting gaps in student outcomes and training pathways. Digital Safety & Learning (Meta/Latam): Meta’s move to replace professional fact-checking with crowdsourced “Community Notes” across Latin America raises alarms that misinformation could spread faster—an issue that directly affects classroom and public learning environments. Civic Education & Student Rights (US, with Latam ties): Immigrant-rights groups and Denver sued the Trump administration to stop armed ICE agents from polling places, a reminder that voting access and civic participation shape education policy debates. Cultural Inclusion (Bahamas): Xavier’s Lower School hosted an Irish music and dance cultural exchange, linking heritage to student belonging.

AI in Education & Policy: Kenya is moving toward an AI policy after a new AI Safety report was discussed at Daystar University, with officials saying public input will begin soon. Higher Education & Learning Design: IED’s Master of Arts programs frame design as a tool for “common goods,” using research and speculative projects to tackle climate risk, inequality, and urban privatization. Land Rights & Digital Records: A new approach links land registries with digital humanities to digitize scattered historical cadastral records and strengthen land administration across the Global South. Public Health (Travel-linked): US officials report 89 travel-associated chikungunya cases with no local spread, shifting the focus to trip planning and mosquito precautions for travelers to Latin America and the Caribbean. Caribbean Education & Skills: The Caribbean Tourism Organization appoints Courtney-Diana Walker as program officer for sustainable tourism, supporting training and regenerative tourism priorities across the region. Prison-to-College Pipeline: A Brazil prison-to-college education account highlights the federal supermax system and the role of teaching for people inside. Regional Education Access: Guyana’s law school expansion is underway, aiming to widen professional training access. Student Life: A University of Missouri LinkedIn posting seeks a new student affairs role tied to student organization development and administration.

AI Skills Push in the Dominican Republic: Amazon Web Services and the Dominican government launched “AWS Entrena República Dominicana,” offering 50,000 free scholarships for adults to learn AI and cloud computing by 2028. Inclusive Knowledge Societies: UNESCO’s IFAP 25th anniversary backs three projects in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean to improve information literacy, access, preservation, ethics and multilingualism. Humanitarian Recovery in Venezuela: After June earthquakes, UN agencies and partners are restoring health and WASH systems, with about 1.3 million people still needing support. Schooling and Power in Lebanon (regional education warning): A report says Hezbollah runs schools outside Lebanon’s Ministry of Education to build ideological control, raising concerns about education as influence. Caribbean Marine Conservation: A study warns queen conch protected areas may lose suitable climate conditions within two decades, threatening livelihoods across the region. Back-to-School Safety: Police in St. Vincent and the Grenadines urged drivers to slow down in school zones as the new term begins.

Education Policy & Outcomes: Latin America slips in PISA 2025, with all 13 assessed countries scoring below OECD averages; Argentina posts its weakest results since 2006, raising fresh alarms about learning gaps and inequality. School Access & Recovery: Jamaica’s Black River High moves to phased, face-to-face reopening after Hurricane Melissa damage, aiming to have all grades back by mid-September while resetting classroom expectations. Learning Infrastructure: St. Maarten officially breaks ground on a new permanent library on International Literacy Day, funded through the Netherlands-backed Fostering Resilient Learning Project, after Hurricane Irma destroyed the original facility. Student Support & Tech Debate: Trinidad and Tobago’s education ministry launches an AI tutor for secondary students, but critics argue families still need faster delivery of basic book grants and that admin efficiency should come first. Regional Cooperation: FAO urges stronger South-South cooperation to scale practical agrifood solutions, emphasizing that knowledge from the Global South should drive policy and investment.

Cuba’s Economic Power Under Scrutiny: A panel at Florida International University will dig into GAESA, Cuba’s military-linked conglomerate, citing estimates of $17.9B in assets and major sway over the island’s economy, and how similar models may have been copied in Venezuela. US–Colombia Education-Adjacent Geopolitics: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio begins a Latin America tour in Colombia, meeting President Abelardo de la Espriella as Washington pushes closer cooperation against drug trafficking and “narcoterrorism.” Learning Outcomes Under Pressure: Argentina’s PISA results fell in math, reading and science, with the Milei government blaming prior administrations while critics point to education budget cuts. Health and Schooling Risk in the Amazon: New Mongabay Latam analysis links mercury contamination to hundreds of Indigenous and riverside communities across Peru, Bolivia and Brazil, with families changing diets as schools and children face exposure. Literacy and Access Moves: St. Kitts and Nevis kicks off the 2026–27 school session with a back-to-school push, while Bermuda reports 100 scholarship winners from nearly 500 applications. Environmental Alert Near Classrooms: In Entre Ríos, researchers warn pollution in four streams threatens the Enrique Berduc Reserve, including glyphosate detected inside a protected school park.

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.