Global education systems face cyberattacks, reforms, and economic strain

As the 2026 school year approaches, various regions face distinct challenges regarding education and economic stability. In France, school administrators are struggling to prepare for the return to classes following a major cyberattack by the group ZeroBytes, which has locked access to essential professional applications and messaging services.

In Belgium, the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles is implementing new reforms, including a mandatory common core curriculum for first-year secondary students, amid ongoing tension and potential strike notices from teacher unions. Meanwhile, in Haiti, families face significant economic hardship due to inflation and uncertainty regarding the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of relatives in the United States, which threatens essential financial transfers.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, teachers in North Kivu are conditioning their return to work on health guarantees regarding Ebola and the payment of overdue salaries. Other regional news includes social initiatives in Brussels to provide low-cost meals and free school supplies, and a growing trend in France toward purchasing second-hand school materials to mitigate rising costs.