2026-10-14 — Competitions and Education Briefing
Ireland
OECD report calls for stronger support to tackle school absence
An OECD policy paper published on 13 October examines persistent school attendance problems in Ireland. Using 2023 data, it reports that 22% of primary pupils and 21% of secondary pupils missed at least 20 school days—still above pre-pandemic levels. The paper identifies inconsistent attendance data and gaps in teacher preparation for addressing absence. It recommends closer collaboration between schools, families and support services, better monitoring and earlier intervention. These are policy recommendations, not newly introduced attendance rules. Read the OECD report
United Kingdom
Wales proposes £60 million additional funding for learning needs
The Welsh Government announced an agreement on 13 October to add £60 million for Additional Learning Needs to its 2026–27 Supplementary Budget. A ministerial statement specifies £44.8 million directly for schools and £11.2 million for local authorities, alongside funding for longer-term planning and further education. The proposed investment is intended to address immediate financial and operational pressures. The Supplementary Budget is scheduled for debate in the Senedd on 3 November; the announcement does not constitute final budget approval. Read the funding statement · Read the budget announcement
United States
New California testimony highlights uneven recovery in mathematics
Testimony published by the Public Policy Institute of California on 13 October describes a slow, uneven recovery in school mathematics achievement. Drawing on existing state assessment results, researcher Iwunze Ugo reports that proficiency remains below its pre-pandemic level, with lower-performing students recovering more slowly in some upper grades. The testimony highlights an income gap: 26% of low-income pupils meet mathematics standards, compared with 58% of pupils from moderate- to high-income families. California’s assessments cover grades 3–8 and grade 11. Read the original testimony
Annual report compares public-school transfer policies across all states
Reason Foundation published its 2026 review of K–12 open-enrollment policies on 13 October, assessing families’ ability to choose public schools beyond their assigned attendance areas. Its framework examines transfer rights, tuition charges, access for pupils with disabilities, transparency and appeals. Oklahoma and Arkansas receive the highest scores under the foundation’s methodology, while no state fully meets all seven criteria. The report also identifies unclear application timelines and inconsistent information about available places as barriers for families seeking transfers. Read the report and methodology
International School Competitions
Mozambique wins the 2026 STEM Africa competition
Mozambique’s team won the third annual ExxonMobil STEM Africa Competition at the African Energy Week awards ceremony in Cape Town on 13 October. Its Eco Carteiras project proposed turning plastic waste and discarded sawdust into school desks and chairs. The final brought together 16 high-school students from Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and Nigeria, selected from approximately 10,000 participants through online quizzes, zonal competitions and national innovation camps. Finalists presented their prototypes on 12 October; participation followed the programme’s qualification stages rather than direct entry to the international final. Official winner announcement · Official finalists and project details