France high school phone ban to start despite union doubts
France will put a mobile phone ban for high schools into effect from the start of the September school year, government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said on Augus…
Education & Youth — August 2026
Nathan Cofnas suspension at Ghent criticised by US envoy
US ambassador to Belgium Bill White has criticised Ghent University's suspension of Nathan Cofnas, a US academic who led plagiarism accusations against former Cambridge professor Jason Arday. White posted on X that the university's decision was an attempt to…
US plans $57mn funding for Venezuela's El Sistema
The US State Department plans to work with Congress to provide $57 million to Venezuela's Fundacion Musical Simon Bolivar, better known as El Sistema, American…
Jason Arday accuser Nathan Cofnas suspended at Ghent
Nathan Cofnas, the US academic who led plagiarism allegations against former Cambridge professor Jason Arday, has been suspended by Ghent University while it considers disciplinary action over public statements linked to the case. Cofnas wrote on X: “I was ju…
Plazma Youth Sports Games marks 30th season in Split
The Plazma Youth Sports Games will mark their 30th season with central celebrations in Split from August 17 to 22, organisers said, including an official ceremony at the Croatian National Theatre Split and an All-Star exhibition football match at Prokurative…
Jason Arday's rise and plagiarism storm before death
Jason Arday, the former Cambridge professor found dead on Friday aged 41, had risen from a south London childhood and a career as a PE teacher to one of Britain's most visible academic posts before resigning during plagiarism investigations. Arday became Camb…
India to offer free exam coaching, AI training, Modi says
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Saturday that his government would provide free online coaching for competitive exams and train 10 million young people in artificial intelligence skills over the next year. Modi announced the plans during an Independe…
UK schools use football mentors to reach teenage boys
UK schools are using football and trusted mentors to support teenage boys whom educators and researchers say are struggling with school engagement, emotions an…
Afghan university smartphone ban divides students
Afghan university students are split over a smartphone ban on campuses, with some saying it has damaged their studies while others say it has improved concentration. The restriction followed a June order by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada for government…
Afghan girls' school ban leaves fathers in despair
Afghan fathers are describing despair and uncertainty as the Taliban authorities' ban keeps their daughters from education beyond primary school. Men interviewed across Afghanistan said the restrictions had left families searching for secret classes, home sch…
Youth unemployment rose to 12.4% in 2025, ILO says
The global youth unemployment rate rose to 12.4% in 2025, up from 12.3% in 2024, the International Labour Organization said in its Global Employment Trends for Youth 2026 report. The UN labour agency said that was equivalent to 67 million unemployed people ag…
Jason Arday memoir published amid plagiarism row
Black British academic Jason Arday published his memoir in the United States on Tuesday, days after resigning from Cambridge University amid allegations of plagiarism and claims of racism. Arday's memoir, "Great and Unfortunate Things", has drawn scrutiny as…
Afghan girls' school ban excludes 2.4m, UNESCO says
UNESCO said Tuesday that about 2.4 million girls in Afghanistan have been denied secondary education since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, an increase of 200,000 from last year, and warned the number could reach nearly four million by 2030 if the ban c…
Gaza students wait for Italy evacuation after scholarships
About 50 Gaza students with scholarships to Italian universities are still waiting for clearance to leave the territory, non-governmental organisations say, despite Italy having evacuated 246 scholarship recipients since September 2025. Italy's foreign minist…
Classroom computers linked to lower scores
A Psychology Today article published on March 3, 2026, said two decades of classroom digitisation and computer use have been associated with declines in students' academic and cognitive skills. The article argued that learning depends on sustained attention,…
Jharkhand exam protests grow with assembly march
Indian students marched toward the Jharkhand state assembly in Ranchi on Aug. 10, escalating protests over alleged irregularities in government recruitment examinations. At least six protesters are on hunger strike, including student leader Devendra Nath Maht…
Kuwait orders only Iranian school to close
Kuwait has ordered the closure of the country's only Iranian school, a source at the education ministry told AFP on Thursday. The ministry source did not specify the reason for the closure. The text of the decision, seen by AFP, said the education minister ha…
Jason Arday row: Cambridge to review senior hiring
The University of Cambridge will review how it appoints senior academics as it continues to investigate plagiarism claims involving Jason Arday, who resigned from his university and college posts this week. Cambridge said Friday that, regardless of Arday's re…
Trent Park spy mansion opens as World War II museum
Trent Park, a country house north of London where Britain secretly listened to captured Nazi officers during World War II, has opened as a museum. The new Trent Park House of Secrets museum tells the story of German-speaking covert listeners, most of them Jew…