2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Communiqué

4 November 2026 | Commonwealth Secretariat

The 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) concluded today in Antigua and Barbuda with a bold programme to boost trade, investment and prosperity across the 56 member countries. Hosted by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, the summit was chaired by Prime Minister the Rt Hon Gaston Browne. Leaders met over two days under the theme ‘Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth’, in a revamped CHOGM that saw more than 4,000 delegates converge in St John’s, the capital.

Foreign Ministers determined to promote Commonwealth interests beyond CHOGM 2026

3 November 2026 | Commonwealth Secretariat

Foreign Affairs Ministers from across the Commonwealth met today on the eve of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, for the 27th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting. The meeting was chaired by Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade & Immigration, Hon Everly Paul Chet Greene. Foreign Affairs Ministers and Heads of Delegations were tasked with adopting the CHOGM 2026 Communiqué, ahead of its endorsement by Leaders.

Gender equity in access to education: 2026 Gender Report

October 2026 | UNESCO

Every GEM Report is accompanied by a gender edition. This 2026 edition on gender equity and access to education accompanies the 2026 GEM Report and was released on the International Day of the Girl Child, 2026. The global gender report is accompanied by a Africa version released in partnership with the Forum for African Women Educationalists. Both publications examine progress and persistent challenges in advancing gender equity in education access, focusing on key indicators of participation and attainment.

Building on Guyana’s experience, Commonwealth targets 10 million young people for digital training

2 November 2026 | News Room, Guyana

Thousands of Guyanese have already benefited from Commonwealth-linked digital training programmes, as the organisation now seeks to expand access to skills and entrepreneurship opportunities for 10 million young people over the next five years. The announcement by Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey at the launch of the joint forums and events of the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda on Monday builds on years of efforts to help young people and other citizens across member countries develop skills for a changing

job market.

UNESCO supports teachers at the forefront

of digital transformation in Jamaica

29 October 2026 | UNESCO

A joint initiative led by UNESCO, UNICEF, FAO and WFP is supporting Jamaica’s Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information to strengthen education through more connected and inclusive digital systems. The SDG Joint Programme on Digital Transformation for Education has now entered its pilot phase, bringing new tools and systems to 54 schools selected by the Ministry.

New regional virtual centre to expand access

to TVET skills

29 October 2026 | The Standard, Kenya

Kenya’s technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector has received a major boost following the launch of the African Regional Centre for Open TVET (ARCOT) in Nairobi, an initiative aimed at expanding access to flexible, affordable and technology-enabled skills training across Africa. Hosted by the Kenya School of TVET (KSTVET), the virtual centre is expected to strengthen open, distance and technology-enabled learning, enabling more learners to acquire practical skills without the limitations associated with conventional classroom-based training.

Ministry of Education today launches Five-Year Strategic Plan and revised Open and Distance Learning Policy for a stronger education system

5 November 2026 | Office of the President of The Republic of Seychelles

The Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development today launched its Five-Year Strategic Plan 2026–2030 and the revised National Policy for Open and Distance Learning (2026) at the Savoy Hotel. The two instruments provide a clear roadmap for strengthening education and human resource development in Seychelles. The Five-Year Strategic Plan outlines the Ministry’s priorities for the coming years, while the revised National Policy for Open and Distance Learning seeks to expand access to more flexible and inclusive learning opportunities.

Southern Africa’s AI skills gap is about experience, not degrees, ICT leaders say

4 November 2026 | iAfrica

Southern Africa’s struggle to prepare workers for AI stems less from a shortage of graduates than from a lack of practical workplace experience, according to the 2026 IITPSA ICT Skills Survey and the heads of five regional ICT professional bodies. Presented at the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa’s Workforce Intelligence Conference in Johannesburg, the survey found lack of workplace experience accounted for 24% of the reported skills gap, against 20% attributed to gaps in education and training.

EAC ministers approve AI module for

university students

2 November 2026 | The Observer, Uganda

East African Community (EAC) ministers have approved an Artificial Intelligence foundational module for university students across the region, in a move aimed at equipping undergraduates with essential digital skills regardless of their fields of study. The ministers directed partner states to consider integrating the module into university degree programmes, while the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) was tasked with developing a regional implementation framework to guide its rollout.

Tanzania moves to provide 10,000

graduates with workplace internship opportunities annually

3 November 2026 | Daily News, Tanzania

The Tanzanian government has introduced a plan to provide 10,000 university and college graduates with workplace internship opportunities annually as part of efforts to expand youth employment opportunities and prepare them for labour market demands. The initiative is being implemented through the National Graduate Internship Programme, coordinated by the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations), with the aim of equipping young people with practical skills to compete in the domestic and international labour markets.

Webinar — Designing for learning in the age of AI: Agency, authenticity and open pedagogy

Date & Time: 26 November, 11 am - 12 pm (EST) | Contact North, Canada

Generative and increasingly agentic AI are challenging educators to rethink what, how and why we assess. As AI systems become more capable of producing polished work and completing complex tasks, assessment focused primarily on final products may tell us less about what students actually understand, can do and are learning along the way. This webinar explores how open pedagogy can help educators respond by shifting greater attention from product to process and by designing learning experiences that strengthen learner agency, intrinsic motivation and metacognition.

Open University must focus on imparting skills beyond certificates: Education Minister

29 October 2026 | United News of Bangladesh

Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Tuesday said Bangladesh Open University (BOU) must go beyond awarding certificates and focus on creating educational opportunities for all and developing their skills. “Bangladesh Open University was not established merely to provide certificates; rather, it was established to create educational opportunities for everyone and make them skilled,” he said, according to a PID handout. The Minister made these remarks at a discussion session to mark the 34th founding anniversary of BOU at the BOU campus in Gazipur.

Fiji opens Pacific digital skills hub, with Australia pledging $28 million

26 October 2026 | Island Business, Fiji

Fiji has opened a new digital skills hub at the University of the South Pacific, aiming to train workers in artificial intelligence, networking and cybersecurity as the government seeks to position the country as a digital hub for the wider Pacific. The facility, a partnership between Cisco, USP and Telecom Fiji, will connect to learning sites in Samoa and Vanuatu, extending its reach beyond the university campus.

The future we build: A youth-led journal of research, innovation and advocacy

October 2026 | Commonwealth of Learning

Across the Caribbean, young people are confronting environmental and social challenges that affect the places they call home. This youth-led journal brings together six research, media and advocacy articles developed through the Commonwealth of Learning’s Pan-Caribbean Youth Robotics Innovation Project for Blue-Green Resilience and Prosperity. The contributions examine biodiversity loss, ocean health and pollution, assistive robotics, water conservation, coastal resilience and food security.

Learning to accelerate in partnership:

CHOGM 2026

November 2026 | Commonwealth of Learning

To support the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda (CHOGM 2026) under the theme Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth, the Commonwealth of Learning proposes 15 talking points for consideration, with 12 concrete opportunities to act. Building upon the mandate from Heads at CHOGM 2024 and the Gaborone Statement on Open Education from the 11th Pan-Commonwealth Forum (2025), COL continues to act and work with governments to seize these opportunities.