Going back to school looks very different for students in developing countries and those in developed countries in Europe, Canada and elsewhere. Although the issues in Europe focus on limits on screens, cellphones, and AI, concerns about repairing facilities, dealing with shortages, and recovering from disasters dominate the headlines in the Caribbean and some parts of Africa. This year’s scan of the back-to-school headlines around the world also highlights the dangers students face in countries under attack like Ukraine and those experiencing disease outbreaks like the Democratic Republic of Congo. Schools in several parts of the world are adjusting to new curricula and policies, but the UAE stands out with initiatives to expand project-based learning. Next week, Part 2 of the back-to-school scan will focus on the national and local headlines in the US.
For back-to school headlines from previous years, see: Economics, AI, Cellphones and More: Scanning the International Back-To-School Headlines for 25-26 (Part 1); New Policies, New mandates, Uncertainty and Chaos (Part 2); Supplies, Cellphones, and Fear (Part 3); Politics, Policies, and Polarization: Scanning the 2024-25 Back-To-School Headlines in the US (Part 1) Supplies, Shortages, and Other Disruptions? (Part 2), Banning Cell Phones Around the World? (Part 3); Crises and Concerns: Scanning the Back-to-School Headlines for Fall 23 (Part 1), (Part 2), (Part 3). Hope and trepidation: Scanning the back-to-school headlines in 2022 (Part 1), (Part 2) , (Part 3); Going back to school has never been quite like this(Fall 22: Part 1), (Part 2), (Part 3); What does it look like to go back to school in 2022? It’s different all around the world…; Headlines around the world: Back to school 2019 edition.
Around the World
“Back-to-school” series from the Gem Report and UNESCO:
How many children are absent from school?
How many children are repeating their year?
Africa, Middle East & Near East
Democratic Republic of Congo
DRC school year begins amid Ebola, strikes and conflict, Radio France Internationale
“Millions of students returned to school across the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, but the new term began amid an Ebola outbreak affecting six provinces, a teachers’ strike call and continuing conflict in the east. In AFC/M23-controlled territories, the movement organised the return to classrooms even as Kinshasa continued to pay primary and secondary school teachers.”
Schools reopen in Congo’s Ebola epicenter despite concerns from parents and teachers, CBS19 News
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan updates school curricula based on new Constitution, Silk Way News
Kenya
Principals protest funding shortages as schools struggle to sustain learning, Soko Directory
“Barely days into the third term, secondary school administrators are already sounding the alarm over unpaid government capitation, a gap they say could throw learning programmes into disarray.“
Liberia
Liberia abolishes public primary school registration fees, West Africa Democracy Radio
Morocco
Morocco tightens monitoring of student absences, textbook supply ahead of 2026-2027 school year, Morocco World News
United Arab Emirates
UAE schools 2026–27: What’s changing for students, teachers and parents, Arabian Business
“Project-Based Learning and Assessment will expand to more than 129,000 students across 366 schools.”
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan launches updated National Curriculum Framework, Gazeta
Asia
China
Chinese cities broaden back-to-school benefits as focus shifts beyond spending, China Daily
Students across China return to school for new semester (in pictures), People’s Daily Online
71 flood-affected schools open for new semester in Guangxi, Reuters Connect
What are some different ways to “open up” the campus in the new semester? China Daily
“Balanced class assignment and fairness are emphasized in the first lesson of the new semester…In April of this year, the General Office of the Ministry of Education issued the “Notice on Launching the Special Action for Sunshine Enrollment in Primary and Secondary Schools (2026).” The notice clearly stipulates that compulsory education schools should maintain balanced class assignments, strictly prohibiting the establishment or disguised establishment of key classes, experimental classes, or fast/slow classes. It promotes balanced allocation of teachers and random student class assignments, requiring schools to disclose their class assignment plans, processes, and results to parents.”
Hong Kong
Hong Kong to revamp senior secondary science and maths curriculum from 2029-30, South China Morning Post
Indonesia
Indonesia to start National Integrated Schools program in 2026, ANTARA News
Canada
Back-to-school fit checks from 94 Canadian kids, CBC Kids News
British Columbia / Vancouver
Vancouver families get help with back-to-school costs as demand for supplies grows, CTV News
Edmonton & Calgary/Alberta
Calgary completes pedestrian safety upgrades at 50 schools, CTV News
Parents looking at major increase in yellow bus fees come September, CBC News
Ontario / Toronto
Back-to-school costs are putting pressure on Ontario families, CBC News
Ottawa union fears province trying to ‘strip power’ from local boards ahead of school year, CBC News
Staffing shortage at northern Ontario school forces students to start year with virtual classes, CBC News
Quebec / Montreal
‘Heartbreaking dilemma’: About 1 in 5 Quebec teachers consider quitting due to poor working conditions amid shortage, Montreal City News
Montreal students prepare to return to classrooms as new school year begins, Montreal City News
Caribbean & Mexico
Cuba
Cuba readies to kick off school year despite scant supplies, Reuters
Nearly 1.5 million students will return to classrooms in Cuba, Ahora Cuba
Jamaica
Jamaica considers rotating school days as Hurricane Melissa repairs remain unfinished, Jamaica Observer
Schools show mixed readiness for September reopening, Jamaica Observer
Mexico
Between distraction and safety, Mexico debates cellphone use as students return to school. Reuters
Puerto Rico
Dept. of Education prepares schools for the start of classes: how will they address the lack of water? El Nuevo Dia
Trinidad & Tobago
359 schools to receive repairs ahead of new academic year, TTT News
Europe
New school year: Which EU countries pay their teachers the most?, EuroNews
Denmark
Brand new national tests to be used again to identify underperforming schools, Folkeskolen
England
Schools in England face checks to root out unhealthy lunches, The Guardian
Estonia
Hundreds of assistant teachers leave as new kindergarten language requirements take effect, ERR News
Only a few children starting this September in Estonia’s smallest schools, ERR News
School year opens with hundreds of students still waiting for placement, ERR News
Finland
New school year starts across Finland with education reforms, Helsinki Times,
“The start of the term also brings changes to everyday school life. Education providers in pre-primary and comprehensive education now have a legal duty to promote physical activity alongside teaching. The measure follows restrictions on mobile devices introduced at the start of the previous school year.”
France
France prepares for new back-to-school phone ban, France24
“The French government will press ahead with a ban on mobile phone use in high schools as classes reconvene in September. But opinion varies on the likelihood of its success, with some citing freedom of speech concerns and others around speed of implementation.”
Germany
Germany grants first graders a legal right to all day school care, but the staff aren’t there yet, Edunews
Iceland
Iceland makes primary schools phone-free nationwide, Iceland Review
Ireland
‘Sending just one secondary school child back to school could cost more than €1,000’, The Irish Times
Netherlands
Schools return as new Dutch and maths targets become law, Dutch News NL
Norway
Norway bans AI in elementary schools, effective August 2026, Reuters
Poland
Big changes in schools starting September 1st. The phone ban is just the beginning, Gazeta Prawna
Russia
In Russia, half of school classes will be devoted to military training, UNN Bloomberg
Sweden
New school rule from August 17: What applies to your child, Nyheter24
“When students return to their classrooms after the summer, they are faced with a new everyday life. Starting in the fall semester, a national and mandatory mobile phone ban will apply in primary school, preschool classes and after-school care. It’s no longer enough to put your phone face down in your bag and promise not to sneakily check Tiktok during math class, but now it’s a ban. Many schools have previously banned cell phones, but now it will be mandatory and not optional in schools.”
Ukraine
Air raid alert shatters first day of school in Kyiv after overnight Russian missile strikes, AP News
Ukrainian schools will begin the new school year with a lesson on dignity, UA.NEWS
Ukraine’s children begin school year with balloons and missiles overhead, The Independent
International Education News 