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Ghana introduced a new payment arrangement for petroleum imports in 2023, using gold instead of scarce US dollars. The policy was designed to ease pressure on the cedi by reducing the need for upfront dollar purchases to settle fuel import…

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Larvae of the mopane moth (Gonimbrasia belina), on a mopane tree (Colophospermum mopane). By SAplants - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 , CC BY South Africa’s Limpopo province borders Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique. It is one of the poorest…

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There is a rich history of Black graduation ceremonies in the United States focused on celebrating the unique experiences and achievements of Black university students. In Canada, the tradition gained attention with the University of…

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Malaria, a life-threatening disease spread to humans by some types of mosquitoes, is preventable and curable. The World Malaria Report 2025 shows that in 2024, there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 malaria deaths in…

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Male sylvan chameleon (Nadzikambia goodallae) from Mount Ribáuè, Mozambique. Krystal Tolley , CC BY Tropical rainforests are known for their unique biodiversity, with species found nowhere else on Earth. But nearly 30% of tropical…

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Brain breaks improve the neural connections your brain is making between new information and prior knowledge. Mihaela Rosu/iStock/Getty Images Plus If you have a child in school right now, you may have heard them talk about needing a…

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Approximately 34% of U.S. fourth grade students without disabilities and 72% of students with disabilities scored below basic reading levels in 2024. Anna Maslennikova/iStock/Getty Images Plus Recently, I worked with a group of elementary…

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Canada’s 2024 cuts to international study permits led to significantly larger reductions in study permit approvals than intended , according to a report by the auditor general tabled in March 2026. The report found the reduction in study…

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Who counts as an intellectual? In many traditions, the figure of the intellectual is tied to the search for truth, social critique and public engagement. From the Dreyfus Affair (a political scandal in 1894 in France that mobilised writers…

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The Salinas High School (Calif.) girls volleyball team from 1924, as seen in the school's yearbook, 'El Gabilan.' Michael A. Messner , CC BY High school students will soon take part in a more than 160-year-old tradition in American…

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Liliana Drew/ Pexels Pretend play is a significant and often magical part of childhood . Children have huge imaginations and use these to turn rocks into spaceships, tables into forts or pens into fairies. They might pretend to be “mum” or…

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The East African Community is one of Africa’s oldest regional economic organisations. Its birth in 1967 was the culmination of decades of economic ties forged in the colonial era between Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. It’s no surprise that…

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If today’s young people are tomorrow’s leaders, they will inherit not only the world’s problems but also the tools and ideas to solve them. One of the biggest changes they will face is a changing climate . This means hotter days, more…

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For much of the past two decades, South Africa’s recurring waves of protest have been interpreted through a dominant lens: the failure of the post-apartheid state to deliver services to its poorest citizens. Rising unemployment, corroding…

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In some communities in Uganda, women aren’t supposed to work with pigs. This stems from restrictive social and gender norms, some of which are rooted in culture and religious beliefs. Until recently, eating pork was associated with…

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Madagascar is home to seven species of baobab trees, of which six are found nowhere else on the planet. Many of the trees have been alive for well over 1,000 years. The ancient trees have become symbols of Madagascar itself. They’re also…

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Irene Fogel Weiss holds a photograph of her mother and brothers, who were killed during the Holocaust, during a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on April 14, 2026, in Washington. Heather Diehl/Getty Images In 2025, 48% of Americans ages 18-29…

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South Africa would seem like the perfect place for widespread uptake of solar energy. The country is sunny, with high solar generation potential. Solar is a clean, reliable source of power that can help people reduce their dependence on…

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Although sexual misconduct is common on college campuses, most people do not officially report their experience. salim hanzaz/iStock/Getty Images Plus Sexual misconduct – including sexual harassment, stalking, intimate partner violence and…

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China recently pledged to expand military support to Somalia in its fight against al-Shabaab militants . Beijing has promised equipment, training and closer security cooperation with Mogadishu. This marks a shift from China’s traditionally…

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The global geoeconomic volatility wrought by the second Donald Trump US presidency and hostilities in the Middle East make the shift in China’s Africa strategy even more important for China and for Africa. China’s Africa strategy started…

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Two months after the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final, which was won by Senegal in January 2026, the appeal board of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) decided to strip them of the title and give it instead to their…

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The minibus taxi is ubiquitous in southern Africa. These vehicles are the backbone of the urban economy, providing affordable mobility for millions . In Cape Town, South Africa’s second most populous city , they are central to the…

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Nelson Mandela remains one of the most revered political leaders of modern times. He is widely credited with guiding South Africa through a peaceful transition from apartheid to democracy. He embodied racial reconciliation, and lent moral…

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Ontario’s recent announcement of a tuition increase and major changes to grant and loan structures have prompted student protests at the provincial legislature. The province has said the changes are required for sustainability . But…

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Labour migration from Kenya was oriented towards Africa, North America and Europe until the 1990s. Kenyans then started moving to the Gulf countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Most Kenyan labour…

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Cities are often described as living archives of human memory. Walk through an old neighbourhood in an Islamic city like Fez in Morocco or Cairo in Egypt, and you can see layers of history in its streets and buildings. Traces of the past…

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“Magic mushrooms” are consumed recreationally and for medicinal purposes around the world. These fungi gained their fame as “magic” because they produce chemical compounds (called psilocybin and psilocin ) which have psychedelic effects.…

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A student uses the unlocking mechanism as he leaves school for the day. Keith Srakocic/AP Photo What is the best way to handle cellphones in schools? That’s a question Michigan educators are grappling with this spring after Gov. Gretchen…

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Protesters gather outside a Boston courthouse in July 2025 to rally against the Trump administration's freezing of contracts and grants to Harvard University. Scott Eisen/Getty Images The Department of Justice announced in March 2026 that…

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Instead of focusing on student behaviors, standards-based grading assesses if students are actually learning what's being taught. Valerii Apetroaiei/iStock via Getty Images Plus Some school districts, including ones in Maine, New Mexico,…

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The rating agency S&P Global’s Africa Credit Rating Trends 2025 reviews the past year’s rating activities and analyses the continent’s prospects for 2026. It is an important document because it interprets underlying drivers of…

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The University of Florida in Gainesville is one of the universities that signed a memo agreeing to cooperate with ICE. Mireya Acierto Since March 2025, at least 15 Florida public universities and colleges, including the University of…

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Debates about generative AI in higher education have been informed by studies of completed student papers , or self-reported survey data . Research shows that artificial intelligence tools can support learning, but also has raised…

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The status change cuts the amount of federal student aid by half. Royalty-free/Getty Images As of July 2026 , graduate degree programs in nursing, public health, social work, public policy and more will no longer be defined as professional…

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Youth in Canada’s child welfare system need stronger government leadership to improve educational outcomes. Fewer than half of youth who have spent time in foster care — known as care-experienced youth — complete high school and even fewer…

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An undocumented mother walks her 6-year-old daughter to school in Danbury, Conn., in October 2025, shortly before the family self-deported. John Moore/Getty Images All immigrants, regardless of their citizenship status, have the right to…

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An estimated 85% of K-12 public school teachers recently reported that they used AI during the 2024-2025 school year. ismagilov/iStock/Getty Images Plus K-12 teachers and students across the country are increasingly using AI in and out of…

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A visitor looks at calligraphy by Luo Sangui of the Daodejing, the classic Daoist text, during the Nanjing 2014 Grand Art Exhibition in Nanjing, China. Visual China Group via Getty Images Each March, many of the country’s most selective…

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Many teachers are missing the opportunity to use events like the Iran war as teachable moments. Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images It’s a scene that’s played out in K-12 schools around the country in recent years. Unprompted, a student…

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Political theorist Hannah Arendt warned that authoritarian politics rarely begin with spectacles of repression. More often, authoritarianism advances through routine administrative decisions that appear technical or neutral but gradually…

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Use of generative artificial intelligence technology is already widespread in K-12 schools and higher education. Now, AI technologies such as conversational agents and tablet-based assessments are starting to make their way toward early…

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International Women’s Day is an important day for everyone, regardless of gender, to raise awareness about gender inequality. This includes naming harms, celebrating gains and recommitting to societal and institutional change. But we…

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Children’s experiences during early years form the foundation for their development . For many children in Canada and across the globe, these early experiences include substantial exposure to early learning and child care. And government…

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Much is being said about the wonders of artificial intelligence (AI) and how it is the new frontier. And while it provides amazing possibilities in fields like medicine , academics are debating its advantages for university students. Peet…

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Christina @ wocintechchat.com via Unsplash , CC BY Students’ well-being in higher education has been a growing concern globally since the coronavirus pandemic, which disrupted learning and lives generally. Well-being has been described as…

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Kelly Skema, Unsplash , CC BY The United Nations made 24 January the International Day of Education to highlight the role of education in peace and development. In 2026 the theme is “the power of youth in co-creating education”. This…

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As universities in South Africa prepare to admit a new group of students, thousands of young people from rural parts of the country hope for a life-changing opportunity. In 2023, public universities enrolled 258,778 first-time students.…

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Corporal punishment – usually referring to adults hitting children – was abolished in South Africa in 1997. The Constitutional Court had already ruled it incompatible with the bill of rights in 1995. In that judgement, the chief justice…

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The world of work today, in the 21st century, is far more unpredictable than it was in the 20th century. Jobs come and go, roles change constantly, and automation and digital disruption are the only constants. Many young people will one…

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School violence is a global public health phenomenon. This is when learners and teachers are the victims of physical and psychological abuse, cyber threats and bullying, fights, gangsterism, and the use of weapons at school. The…

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The civil war in Sudan began in April 2023, causing death, hunger, displacement and destruction on a huge scale. Gihad Ibrahim, head of e-learning and senior manager at Mashreq University in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, spoke with The…

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The Sorbonne University , founded in Paris in 1253 and known globally as a symbol of education, science and culture, has just announced that , starting in 2026, it will stop submitting data to Times Higher Education (THE) rankings. It is…

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Food insecurity is associated with worse academic outcomes. PxHere The spectre of food insecurity unfortunately haunts many households in South Africa. Food security is commonly understood as having sufficient and nutritious food to live a…

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Learning experiences have to include opportunities to develop thinking, skills and values. PickPic As a full-time teacher completing a PhD part-time, I made a decision early on: do research that speaks to the daily realities of teachers…