Global Initiative Bi-Weekly Sites Newsletter
February 14th to Febuary 27th, 2026
Rwanda
For many forced to flee their home countries, exile begins with uncertainty. Conflict, political instability, and insecurity often leave families little time to prepare. Refugees cross borders not in search of opportunity, but in search of safety.
In Rwanda, more than 138,000 refugees live across camps and urban communities. While the term “refugee” often evokes images of vulnerability, the reality for many in Rwanda is increasingly defined by inclusion, participation, and opportunity rather than isolation. At Mahama Camp in Kirehe District, 128 livestock farmers formed the Indashyikirwa cooperative in 2015, starting with fewer than ten cows. Today, they manage 505 cattle, producing at least 2,500 litres of milk daily. Their growth followed the construction of modern cattle sheds and structured support that allowed them to expand their activities sustainably. The cooperative’s president, Mon Ami Nzayikorwa Rwamuningi, says their experience reflects a broader sense of belonging.
UNHCR Rwanda is Short of Funding by Over 70%
In classrooms stretching from Kigali’s urban schools to remote rural districts, thousands of Rwandan teenagers have quietly taken part in an exam that will not affect their report cards, determine university admission or appear on any school transcript.
Yet the results, due later this year, may shape the future of Rwanda’s education system. Between April 28 and early June 2025, 7,455 Rwandan students — all aged 15 — sat for the Programme for International Student Assessment, known globally as PISA. The students were drawn from 213 randomly selected schools across the country: 81 public schools, 18 private schools, 2 international schools, and 112 government-supported schools. Roughly 77 percent of the sampled schools were in rural areas and 23 percent in urban centers, reflecting the country’s demographic balance. Provisions were made to include students with disabilities.
Lebanon
2 killed in Israeli airstrike on Palestinian refugee camp in S. LebanonTwo people were killed, and several others were injured on Friday in an Israeli airstrike on a neighborhood inside the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in the city of Sidon in southern Lebanon, local public health authorities and media reported.
An Israeli drone fired two missiles at a building that the Palestinian joint security force previously used. According to the National News Agency (NNA), an individual had recently rented the building to operate as a kitchen for distributing food rations. Ambulances immediately rushed to the scene and transported the wounded to hospitals in Sidon, which issued an urgent appeal for blood donations due to the severity of their injuries, NNA reported. The Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee condemned in a statement Israel's renewed targeting of the Ain al-Hilweh camp, saying it constitutes a violation of Lebanese state sovereignty and a breach of international laws and conventions, particularly the rules of international humanitarian law.
Hand in Hand with Palestine Refugees”: UNRWA’s Ramadan 2026 CampaignThe campaign places UNRWA staff, themselves, for most, Palestine Refugees, at the center of the story, showing how they work every day within their own communities – in classrooms, health centres, shelters, and homes.
In the face of immense humanitarian needs, “Hand in Hand with Palestine Refugees,” is a campaign that underscores UNRWA’s commitment to stay alongside Palestine Refugees despite major funding shortfalls, severe restrictions on aid access in the occupied Palestinian territory and acute attempts to discredit the Agency using disinformation. At the heart of the campaign is the message “Your Zakat Keep us here”, highlighting the enabling role of individuals, foundations and the private sector when choosing to donate their Zakat to the Agency. ”Families in Gaza are facing their third consecutive Ramadan displaced, exposed, and reliant on aid.
Kenya
Ministry of Education Announces TVET Fee Reduction Plan to Boost EnrollmentAddressing the press on Wednesday, February 25, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said a team from the ministry will commence the review of TVET fees from Thursday, February 26.
Ogamba is optimistic that the initiative will be vital in reducing school dropouts, making education more affordable for all Kenyans, and boosting enrollment in TVET institutions for youths who did not qualify for other high-level tertiary institutions. "We were able to review the University fees, which we were able to reduce by 15 per cent and 40 per cent, and learning is ongoing seamlessly, and we are going to review this one downwards to ensure that all our trainees remain in school and they won't drop out," Ogamba said."We are working very hard to ensure that this sector is supported because we have a goal to enroll at least two million of our youths in 2027 in these institutions," he added.
South Africa
South Africa’s education crisis is worse than it seemsWhile South Africa celebrated the announcement of the 88% matric pass rate in 2025, the highest in the country’s history, a sky-high unemployment rate and low economic growth are signs that the country is facing a severe education crisis.
South Africa spends around 6% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on education. This is 18% of all government spending and more than countries such as France, the UK or Australia spend. Minister of Education, Siviwe Gwarube, celebrated the latest matric results as a return on this investment, with the pass rate increasing by 0.7% from 2024, even as the number of learners writing their final exams increased to 656,000 in 2025. However, despite supposed improvements in education, youth unemployment in South Africa has consistently remained above 55% over the last decade.
Vietnam
The education policy will take effect from February 2026Regulations for university admissions and early childhood education programs. The Ministry of Education and Training has announced Circular No. 06/2026/TT-BGDĐT promulgating the Regulations on Admission to University-level and College-level Early Childhood Education programs (Admission Regulations). This Circular takes effect from February 15, 2026.
The regulations issued in Circular No. 06/2026/TT-BGDĐT contain several notable new points as follows: Firstly, the recruitment source is candidates whose total score in the three subjects of the high school graduation exam corresponding to the chosen subject combination (or the scores of Mathematics, Literature, and one other subject) reaches at least 15 on a 30-point scale (this does not apply to candidates who are granted special exemptions or are exempt from the graduation exam). Secondly, candidates can register for a maximum of 15 preferences for different training programs and schools, arranging them in order of priority from highest to lowest (preference 1 being the highest priority). Teacher training programs only consider preferences ranked from 1 to 5.
Việt Nam promotes education partnerships at APAIE 2026Director of the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) Nguyễn Thu Thủy, along with representatives from 17 leading Vietnamese universities, is taking part in promotional and partnership activities at the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) Conference and Exhibition 2026 in Hong Kong (China).
Opening on February 23, the five-day event has attracted about 3,000 education leaders from 70 countries and territories, serving as a major platform for dialogue and collaboration in international higher education across the Asia-Pacific. APAIE President Venky Shankararaman commended the Vietnamese delegation, noting that it marks the largest-ever participation by Vietnamese institutions at the forum. He said many Asia-Pacific countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, are keen to expand cooperation with Vietnamese universities.
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In Rwanda, more than 138,000 refugees live across camps and urban communities. While the term “refugee” often evokes images of vulnerability, the reality for many in Rwanda is increasingly defined by inclusion, participation, and opportunity rather than isolation. At Mahama Camp in Kirehe District, 128 livestock farmers formed the Indashyikirwa cooperative in 2015, starting with fewer than ten cows. Today, they manage 505 cattle, producing at least 2,500 litres of milk daily. Their growth followed the construction of modern cattle sheds and structured support that allowed them to expand their activities sustainably. The cooperative’s president, Mon Ami Nzayikorwa Rwamuningi, says their experience reflects a broader sense of belonging.
Yet the results, due later this year, may shape the future of Rwanda’s education system. Between April 28 and early June 2025, 7,455 Rwandan students — all aged 15 — sat for the Programme for International Student Assessment, known globally as PISA. The students were drawn from 213 randomly selected schools across the country: 81 public schools, 18 private schools, 2 international schools, and 112 government-supported schools. Roughly 77 percent of the sampled schools were in rural areas and 23 percent in urban centers, reflecting the country’s demographic balance. Provisions were made to include students with disabilities.
Lebanon
Two people were killed, and several others were injured on Friday in an Israeli airstrike on a neighborhood inside the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in the city of Sidon in southern Lebanon, local public health authorities and media reported.
An Israeli drone fired two missiles at a building that the Palestinian joint security force previously used. According to the National News Agency (NNA), an individual had recently rented the building to operate as a kitchen for distributing food rations. Ambulances immediately rushed to the scene and transported the wounded to hospitals in Sidon, which issued an urgent appeal for blood donations due to the severity of their injuries, NNA reported. The Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee condemned in a statement Israel's renewed targeting of the Ain al-Hilweh camp, saying it constitutes a violation of Lebanese state sovereignty and a breach of international laws and conventions, particularly the rules of international humanitarian law.
The campaign places UNRWA staff, themselves, for most, Palestine Refugees, at the center of the story, showing how they work every day within their own communities – in classrooms, health centres, shelters, and homes.
In the face of immense humanitarian needs, “Hand in Hand with Palestine Refugees,” is a campaign that underscores UNRWA’s commitment to stay alongside Palestine Refugees despite major funding shortfalls, severe restrictions on aid access in the occupied Palestinian territory and acute attempts to discredit the Agency using disinformation. At the heart of the campaign is the message “Your Zakat Keep us here”, highlighting the enabling role of individuals, foundations and the private sector when choosing to donate their Zakat to the Agency. ”Families in Gaza are facing their third consecutive Ramadan displaced, exposed, and reliant on aid.
Kenya
Addressing the press on Wednesday, February 25, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said a team from the ministry will commence the review of TVET fees from Thursday, February 26.
Ogamba is optimistic that the initiative will be vital in reducing school dropouts, making education more affordable for all Kenyans, and boosting enrollment in TVET institutions for youths who did not qualify for other high-level tertiary institutions. "We were able to review the University fees, which we were able to reduce by 15 per cent and 40 per cent, and learning is ongoing seamlessly, and we are going to review this one downwards to ensure that all our trainees remain in school and they won't drop out," Ogamba said."We are working very hard to ensure that this sector is supported because we have a goal to enroll at least two million of our youths in 2027 in these institutions," he added.
South Africa
While South Africa celebrated the announcement of the 88% matric pass rate in 2025, the highest in the country’s history, a sky-high unemployment rate and low economic growth are signs that the country is facing a severe education crisis.
South Africa spends around 6% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on education. This is 18% of all government spending and more than countries such as France, the UK or Australia spend. Minister of Education, Siviwe Gwarube, celebrated the latest matric results as a return on this investment, with the pass rate increasing by 0.7% from 2024, even as the number of learners writing their final exams increased to 656,000 in 2025. However, despite supposed improvements in education, youth unemployment in South Africa has consistently remained above 55% over the last decade.
Vietnam
Regulations for university admissions and early childhood education programs. The Ministry of Education and Training has announced Circular No. 06/2026/TT-BGDĐT promulgating the Regulations on Admission to University-level and College-level Early Childhood Education programs (Admission Regulations). This Circular takes effect from February 15, 2026.
The regulations issued in Circular No. 06/2026/TT-BGDĐT contain several notable new points as follows: Firstly, the recruitment source is candidates whose total score in the three subjects of the high school graduation exam corresponding to the chosen subject combination (or the scores of Mathematics, Literature, and one other subject) reaches at least 15 on a 30-point scale (this does not apply to candidates who are granted special exemptions or are exempt from the graduation exam). Secondly, candidates can register for a maximum of 15 preferences for different training programs and schools, arranging them in order of priority from highest to lowest (preference 1 being the highest priority). Teacher training programs only consider preferences ranked from 1 to 5.
Director of the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) Nguyễn Thu Thủy, along with representatives from 17 leading Vietnamese universities, is taking part in promotional and partnership activities at the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) Conference and Exhibition 2026 in Hong Kong (China).
Opening on February 23, the five-day event has attracted about 3,000 education leaders from 70 countries and territories, serving as a major platform for dialogue and collaboration in international higher education across the Asia-Pacific. APAIE President Venky Shankararaman commended the Vietnamese delegation, noting that it marks the largest-ever participation by Vietnamese institutions at the forum. He said many Asia-Pacific countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, are keen to expand cooperation with Vietnamese universities.
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