Last week, students and education communities confronted health emergencies, war, funding disputes and new restrictions on institutional autonomy. From Congo to Costa Rica, the developments again showed why students must be involved directly in decisions affecting their safety, rights and education.
Last week in brief
- Schools reopened in Ebola-affected areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo despite concerns from parents and teachers.
- Students from Costa Rica’s five public universities marched against a proposed freeze in university funding.
- Students at IISER Pune, India continued a sit-in over student welfare, mental-health provision and the suspension of a student representative.
- Two US federal initiatives raised concerns about racial equality, academic freedom and institutional autonomy.
- New York City announced a one-year moratorium on generative AI use by approximately 600,000 elementary and middle-school students.
- Ukrainian children began a fifth school year under full-scale war, with nearly one-third of schools unable to operate entirely in person.
Key developments
Democratic Republic of Congo: schools reopen in Ebola red zones
Schools reopened on 1 September in areas heavily affected by Congo’s worsening Ebola outbreak. The government had initially planned distance learning in high-risk areas but reversed the decision following concerns that pupils without adequate access to remote education would fall behind.
More than 1,000 schools in Ituri province are classified as being in a “red zone”, meaning an area of active or high-risk transmission. Schools have been instructed to introduce handwashing, distancing and other precautions, but parents and teachers have questioned whether facilities have sufficient water, equipment and staffing. Read the Reuters report.
Our take: Students should not be forced to choose between their education and their health. Decisions on opening, temporary closure and alternative learning must be based on transparent public-health evidence and developed with students, parents and teachers. Remote provision must also be properly resourced so it does not deepen existing inequalities.
Costa Rica: students mobilise against university funding freeze
Students, university staff and trade unions marched through San José on 1 September against a government proposal to keep public-university funding essentially unchanged in 2027. The rectors of all five public universities joined the demonstration.
The government has proposed maintaining the Special Fund for Higher Education at approximately ₡593.5 billion (about US$1.31 billion), while universities requested a 2.94% increase. With negotiations ending without agreement, the final allocation will be considered by the Legislative Assembly. University representatives warn that a freeze could affect scholarships, food, transport, housing assistance and regional campuses. Read the report.
Our take: Flat funding during a period of rising costs is a cut in real terms. Students are right to focus attention on the services that determine whether lower-income learners can enter university and remain enrolled. The Legislative Assembly should hear directly from elected student representatives before deciding the allocation.
India: Pune sit-in centres student welfare and representation
Students at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Pune continued a sit-in that began on 27 August following a student’s death on campus and the unrelated suspension of student council general secretary Raj Bagwe.
Their demands included expanded mental-health services, academic accommodations, fewer restrictions on movement between hostels, additional student spaces and protection against retaliation. On 1 September, the institute said it was working to meet most demands, including recruiting additional counsellors and relaxing attendance requirements, while maintaining that its director could not overturn Bagwe’s suspension. Read the detailed account.
Our take: Institutional responses to student deaths and welfare concerns must be humane, transparent and shaped with students. The protection of peaceful protesters is welcome, but dialogue also requires credible channels through which elected student representatives can question disciplinary decisions without fearing suspension or retaliation.
United States: federal measures raise equality and academic-freedom concerns
On 3 September, the US House of Representatives passed the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act by 237 votes to 169. If enacted, it would condition access to certain federal funding on universities not participating in boycotts of Israel or restricting academic exchanges involving Israeli institutions and students. The bill now moves to the Senate. Read about the House vote.
The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service separately proposed regulations that could remove the tax-exempt status of schools offering programmes targeted at particular racial groups. The proposal covers admissions, scholarships, loans, athletics and other school-supported programmes and could affect an estimated 750,000 students receiving race-based scholarships. It remains a proposal subject to public consultation and likely legal challenges. Read the Reuters report.
Our take: Antisemitism and discrimination require serious action, and governments must not conflate institutional boycotts, peaceful advocacy and discrimination against individual students. Equality policy should expand protection and opportunity, not create new financial threats against institutions supporting historically excluded communities. Students, particularly those directly affected, must be heard throughout the legislative and regulatory processes.
Ukraine: another school year begins under attack
Ukraine’s pupils began their fifth school year since Russia’s full-scale invasion amid continuing missile and drone attacks. In Kyiv, an air-raid alert interrupted first-day ceremonies, forcing children, parents and teachers into shelters.
Nationally, 8,424 secondary schools are expected to operate in person, while 1,306 will remain remote and 2,211 will use blended provision. Nearly one-third therefore cannot operate fully in person. In Kyiv alone, 156 schools have been damaged since the full-scale war began, while the city’s first-grade population has fallen by around 40% since 2022. Read the AP report.
Our take: Schools, students and education personnel are civilians and must be protected. Adaptation by educators cannot be allowed to normalise learning in shelters or the destruction of educational infrastructure. Humanitarian and reconstruction funding must address safety, psychosocial support, learning loss and the participation of displaced students.
This week: 7–13 September
- 8–11 September — UNESCO Digital Learning Week: More than 25 education ministers will join educators, experts, technology companies and students in Paris to examine AI, digital sovereignty, safety, procurement and age-appropriate technology. Ministers are expected to adopt a statement on sustaining education as a common good in the age of AI. Follow Digital Learning Week.
- 9 September — International Day to Protect Education from Attack: The 2026 observance comes after the UN verified 1,680 attacks on schools during 2025—a 33% annual increase. Student organisations can use the day to press governments to protect learners and education personnel and implement the Safe Schools Declaration. Read UNESCO’s overview.
- 10–11 September — Global Citizenship Education conference: The University of Bologna will host the International ANGEL Conference, bringing together researchers, policymakers and practitioners working on human-rights, peace, sustainability and intercultural education. The conclusions may inform how education systems respond to polarisation and democratic decline. See the conference information.
What we are watching
- Whether Ebola prevention measures are sufficient in Congolese schools.
- Costa Rica’s legislative decision on public-university funding.
- The response to students’ welfare and representation demands at IISER Pune.
- Senate consideration of the US university-boycott legislation.
- Whether UNESCO’s new AI statement includes enforceable commitments on student rights and participation.
Are important developments affecting students taking place in your country? Students and student organisations are invited to send them to the Global Student Forum for possible inclusion in a future edition of World Student News.
