Inclusive education and related policies in special needs schools in South Africa.

Background: Post-apartheid, the education system shifted its focus from a segregated education system to an inclusive education system, which resulted in greater consideration of the role and function of special needs schools. In 2014 the National Department of Basic Education developed and implemented an inclusive approach and policies to provide guidelines on the running of special needs schools (SNS). The study was conducted in six SNS in Ekurhuleni South District, South Africa. Objectives: The study explored the experiences of teachers and healthcare workers when implementing policies in SNS in the study area. Method: This exploratory qualitative study used purposive sampling to select 13 teachers and healthcare workers for in-depth interviews. Collected data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis and ATLAS-ti version 23. Results: Teachers and healthcare workers had different working experiences and understandings about inclusive education and policies, as well as their role in implementing these policies. Experienced challenges included lack of training, limited resources, lack of parental support, issues with differentiated curriculum, an unacceptable teaching environment; and poor referral systems. These challenges evoked strategies such as improvising, collaborating, and referring. Participants indicated that they required further training, resources, and support to successfully implement inclusive policies. Conclusion: Both teachers and healthcare workers agreed that resources were lacking at all SNS represented. Staff training was urgently needed as the current curricula at SNS were differentiated for learners with physical and intellectual disabilities. Contribution: Findings may inform policy implementation and change in SNS.

Building a healthy nation: A white paper on Olympic sports and the Indian education system.

The Indian education system has produced top-class global corporate leaders in recent decades. The combination of a solid educational foundation, work ethic, adaptability, technical and analytical skills, leadership abilities, networking, entrepreneurial spirit, and cultural values collectively contribute to the success of Indian students and professionals in the corporate world. On the contrary, India's overall performance in Olympic sports has been modest compared to its population and potential. The education system of any country has a significant role in sporting success. To fully harness the potential of sports in schools, addressing these challenges and creating a supportive environment that values and promotes sporting abilities alongside academic excellence is essential. This will require concerted efforts from various stakeholders, including the schooling system, educational institutions, government, sports organizations, corporate sponsors, and the community. This white paper aims to systematically organize the available knowledge and debates around India's sporting performance in the background of mainstream education culture. This paper also addresses the systemic devaluation, exclusion, disfranchisement, and stereotyping of sports and sportspersons in India. One key argument put forward in this paper is to extend absolute equivalence to Olympic sports disciplines (e.g., football) at par with general academic disciplines (e.g., mathematics) in terms of examinations and award of qualifications within the mainstream education system of India. And India must host the Olympics before 2047.

Equity in education for migrant and racialized students in Southern Spain: From multilevel analysis to participatory recommendations.

This paper aims to analyze equity in education policies and practices in Southern Spain that ensure cultural competence in services and the inclusion of migrant and racialized students. Our model for defining and analyzing equity in education was adapted from the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) and includes five dimensions: (E1) equity in mission/goal, (E2) equity in access, (E3) quality/sensitivity of services, (E4) equity in participation, and (E5) development of partnerships and opportunities. Through transformative mixed methods (i.e., documental analysis of 13 policies, 15 interviews with professionals, one focus group with mothers of Afro-descendant students), the results showed that equity was 100% present in the mission/goal of the Andalusian education system, although there were gaps in its practical implementation, especially in participation and quality/responsiveness. These results were discussed and recommendations for improving equity in education policies and practices are proposed participatively.

Experiences of early career researchers: Influences on the design and reporting of animal experiments, and the practical and emotional support needed to enhance best practice methods.

While best practice methodology in animal research aims to address reproducibility and translational issues, awareness and implementation remains low. Preclinical systematic reviews have highlighted many flaws, including issues with internal validity and reporting. With early career researchers (ECRs) heavily involved in all aspects of animal experiments, it is crucial we understand what shapes their research practices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 ECRs, including research masters, PhD and postdoctoral academics. Data were collected and analysed concurrently using constant comparison techniques and an iterative approach. Findings revealed low-level awareness of best practice recommendations but a desire to engage in dedicated workshops on designing and reporting animal experiments. Current laboratory practices and previous literature were main influences on research practice, more than institutional training. An unexpected finding was the discovery of ethical and emotional dilemmas ECRs faced when working with animals. This highlights the need for a multifaceted approach to better support junior researchers, both emotionally and practically, to encourage responsible science.

The SABER School Feeding policy tool: a 10-year analysis of its use by countries in developing policies for their national school meals programs.

Since its launch in 2011, 59 governments have used the World Bank's Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) policy tool to design their national school-based health and nutrition programs. This tool guides governments to self-evaluate their education system policies against international benchmarks and identify actionable priorities to strengthen national programs. Thirty-two of the 49 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (65%) have undertaken a SABER review, and globally the approach has been adopted by 68% of the world's low-income countries and 54% of lower-middle-income countries. Analysis of 51 comparable SABER School Feeding surveys suggests that countries with longer established national school meals frameworks tend also to be more advanced in other policy areas, and vice versa. The SABER reviews consistently identify, perhaps predictably, that the weakest policy areas relate to program design, implementation and fiscal space. This analysis also found that the tool had an additional value in tracking the evolution of policies when implemented over several time points, and showed that policy areas become more advanced as national programs mature. These benefits of the tool are particularly relevant to the 98 countries that co-created the global School Meals Coalition in 2021. The Coalition member countries have the specific goal of enhancing coverage and support for the well-being of schoolchildren and adolescents affected by the school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The SABER tool has the demonstrated potential to implement, accelerate and track changes in school meals policy and, since it has been previously used by 74% (31/42) of low- and lower-middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, is an already accepted element of the political economies of those countries and so has the potential to be deployed rapidly.

Teaching 21st-century skills in rural secondary schools: From theory to practice.

The concept of "21st-century skills" has become increasingly pervasive in the global educational discourse, and there has been a marked increase in research on how these skills can be integrated into education policy, curriculum, and assessment. Nevertheless, there has been a dearth of research on integrating and implementing 21st-century skills into classroom practices, particularly in peripheral societies. Adopting a mixed-method approach, this study investigates the integration and implementation of 21st-century skills in rural schools in Bangladesh, where many teachers are untrained and under-resourced. Data were obtained from primary and secondary sources through document analysis (n = 3), lesson observations (n = 15), and in-depth interviews with practising teachers (n = 18). Samples were selected purposefully to achieve the study objectives. Likewise, a convenient sampling technique was also followed by the researchers in terms of getting access to the participants. The qualitative content analysis, descriptive statistics, and thematic analysis of data demonstrate that while 21st-century skills are explicitly highlighted in policy documents, including the curriculum, many teachers are uninformed about these skills. Specifically, teachers have a limited pedagogical understanding of how to incorporate these skills into classroom instruction. As a result, both trained and untrained teachers rarely implement 21st-century skills in their classrooms, which results in their deviation from the instructional practices recommended by the curriculum.

Accidental paradiplomats? The curious case of Ontario school board budgets and Canadian soft power projection.

From the earliest studies of soft power in International Relations, the importance of educational exchanges has been well-established. Studies of international education in the context of Canadian soft power often draw on cases from the higher education sector. This article argues that greater attention should be paid to the K-12 level, especially as budgetary pressures in Ontario's education system are leading school boards to rapidly expand their international student recruitment efforts. Although this is not an example of intentional soft power projection, it nevertheless represents an important reminder that subnational actors may accidentally become paradiplomats whose actions have consequences on the international level. Further, this case reveals the importance of paying attention to actors typically overlooked by IR scholarship. Drawing on Joseph Nye's theory of soft power and in conversation with prior research on international education as a mechanism of soft power projection, this article traces the thread between budgetary pressures in Ontario school boards and the broader context of soft power projection.

Transforming higher education institutions through EDI leadership: A bibliometric exploration.

This comprehensive bibliometric study analyzes 1820 journal articles from the Web of Science database to explore Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) leadership in higher education institutions (HEIs). Utilizing co-citation and co-word analysis, the study identifies distinct thematic clusters. The co-citation analysis reveals five key themes: Race, Diversity, and Inclusion (RDI), Diversity, Leadership, and Self-Efficacy (DLSE), Gender Dynamics and Leadership Challenges, Women's Representation in Academic Medicine Leadership, and Transformational Leadership in HEIs. Meanwhile, the co-word analysis highlights three critical areas: Transformative Collaborative Resilience in HEIs, Advancing Gender Equality in Academic Medicine and STEM, and Inclusive Educational Leadership in HEIs. These themes collectively provide a deep understanding of the EDI leadership field's intellectual structure, suggesting significant areas for future research and practical application. The study emphasizes the necessity for HEIs to engage comprehensively in EDI leadership research, shedding light on the importance of transformative collaborative resilience, gender equality in STEM, and inclusive leadership. This research offers valuable insights for developing effective EDI leadership policies and practices, highlighting the interconnectedness of these themes in fostering a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment in higher education and beyond.

Feasibility first: Expanding access before fixing learning.

The first SDG4 target is to both expand access to universal secondary school and to ensure that all children achieve minimum learning outcomes in primary school. To the extent that action must be prioritized, this article argues that achieving universal secondary education is both more feasible at scale and has clearer benefits than improving learning outcomes in primary schools in developing countries. Removing barriers to access such as fees and exam requirements has been demonstrated to have consistent impacts at scale, even in contexts of weak state capacity. By contrast, efforts to improve school quality have been much less consistent. Wage gains from secondary schooling have been demonstrated repeatedly, even in contexts of low quality education. Wage gains from improving primary school quality have not. Governments should thus focus on reforms that reliably expand access, rather than complex interventions to improve learning that often fail at scale.

Robust variance estimation in small meta-analysis with the standardized mean difference.

Conventional random-effects models in meta-analysis rely on large sample approximations instead of exact small sample results. While random-effects methods produce efficient estimates and confidence intervals for the summary effect have correct coverage when the number of studies is sufficiently large, we demonstrate that conventional methods result in confidence intervals that are not wide enough when the number of studies is small, depending on the configuration of sample sizes across studies, the degree of true heterogeneity and number of studies. We introduce two alternative variance estimators with better small sample properties, investigate degrees of freedom adjustments for computing confidence intervals, and study their effectiveness via simulation studies.

Programas de formação docente em saúde: potencialidades e fragilidades / Teacher training programs in health: strengths and weaknesses

RESUMO Introdução: Os docentes da área da saúde em geral não apresentam uma base sólida de conhecimento didático-pedagógico. Na tentativa de preencher essa lacuna e promover formação permanente, algumas instituições de ensino superior têm ofertado programas de formação docente (FD). Objetivo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi compreender as potencialidades e fragilidades dos programas de FD existentes em instituições públicas de ensino superior na área da saúde no Brasil. Método: Realizou-se uma pesquisa social exploratória de abordagem qualitativa, com aplicação de entrevistas semiestruturadas a professores e/ou coordenadores dos programas de FD das instituições de ensino superior públicas federais e estaduais brasileiras. As entrevistas foram gravadas, transcritas e submetidas à análise de conteúdo na modalidade temática. Resultado: Em relação às potencialidades, observaram-se mudanças na concepção do fazer/ser docente, como planejamento, execução e avaliação das aulas, ampliação do tripé ensino-pesquisa-extensão e maior apoio institucional para a FD, como a inserção de eventos científicos e desenvolvimento de pesquisas nessa temática. Quanto às fragilidades, ressaltaram-se a falta de tempo e/ou gerenciamento das atividades docentes, a desvalorização das atividades de ensino, o desconhecimento das necessidades dos professores e a resistência docente às mudanças. Conclusão: As potencialidades e fragilidades encontradas nos programas de FD pesquisados ainda não apresentam propostas sólidas e contínuas para apoiar a prática docente, e, por isso, são imprescindíveis a implementação, o fortalecimento e o comprometimento das atividades de FD nas universidades públicas.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Health teachers in general do not have a solid base of didactic-pedagogical knowledge. In an attempt to fill this gap and promote ongoing training, some higher education institutions have been offering in-service training programs. The objective of this study was to understand the strengths and weaknesses of in-service education programs in public higher education institutions in the health area. Method: An exploratory social research study with a qualitative approach was conducted, with the application of semi-structured interviews with teachers and/or coordinators of the teacher training programs of the participating higher education institutions. The interviews were recorded and transcribed, and underwent thematic content analysis, which allowed categories related to the strengths and weaknesses of teacher training programs to emerge. Results: Regarding the strengths, changes in the concepts of doing teaching/being a teacher, as well as institutional changes were observed. As for weaknesses, the lack of time for and/or management of teaching-related activities, the devaluation of teaching-related activities, lack of knowledge of the needs of professors, and resistance on the part of the professors were highlighted. Conclusion: Understanding the reality of teacher training programs is a way of evaluating the actions undertaken and working in favor of expanding and improving the initiatives offered to teachers in the health field.

Atuação da clínica jurídica Cravinas no enfrentamento às violações de direitos sexuais e reprodutivos durante a pandemia de COVID-19 / Cravinas legal clinic's action in addressing violations of sexual and reproductive rights during the COVID-19 pandemic / Acción de la clínica jurídica Cravinas frente a las violaciones de los derechos sexuales y reproductivos durante la pandemia de COVID-19

Objetivo: investigar as possibilidades de atuação de uma clínica jurídica em direitos humanos diante de uma emergência sanitária com efeitos dramáticos para mulheres e meninas vulneráveis. Metodologia: estudo de caso da atuação do Cravinas, projeto de extensão da Universidade de Brasília (UnB) que atua como uma clínica jurídica em direitos sexuais e reprodutivos, durante a pandemia de COVID-19. Resultados: a grave crise de saúde gerada pela COVID-19 reposicionou as prioridades do Cravinas para evidenciar cuidados em saúde abertamente atacados pelo governo federal. A atuação da clínica priorizou ações de acesso à informação, de formação em saúde e direitos e de litígio estratégico, em uma constelação de estratégias atenta e engajada na defesa de populações que nunca estiveram nas prioridades da agenda pública. Conclusão: diante de um cenário de crise, as clínicas jurídicas podem ajudar a propor urgências contra-hegemônicas capazes de responder a problemas e a cuidar de pessoas que estão fora da agenda prioritária das políticas públicas ligadas à pandemia.

Objective: to explore the potential actions of intervention by a legal clinic focusing on human rights in the context of a health emergency with severe repercussions for vulnerable women and girls. Methods:the research adopts a case study approach, examining the activities of Cravinas, an extension project at the University of Brasilia (UnB) that operates as a pro bono office specializing in sexual and reproductive rights. The investigation specifically delves into Cravinas' initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic.Results:the profound health crisis induced by COVID-19 prompted Cravinas to realign its priorities, emphasizing healthcare under open attack by the federal government. The clinic's interventions were centered around providing access to information, delivering health and rights training, and engaging in strategic litigation. These strategies collectively constituted a conscientious and committed effort to defend populations that historically found themselves outside the ambit of public policy priorities. Conclusion: in the face of a crisis, legal clinics possess the potential to propose counter-hegemonic urgencies, offering responses to challenges and providing support for individuals not prioritized in public policies linked to the pandemic.

Objetivo: investigar las posibilidades de actuación de una clínica jurídica en derechos humanos ante una emergencia sanitaria con efectos dramáticos para mujeres y niñas vulnerables. Metodología: estudio de caso del trabajo de Cravinas, proyecto de extensión de la Universidad de Brasilia (UnB) que presta asistencia legal gratuita por los derechos sexuales y reproductivos, durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Resultados: la grave crisis sanitaria generada por el COVID-19 reposicionó las prioridades de Cravinas para poner de relieve la atención sanitaria abiertamente atacada por el gobierno federal. Las acciones de la clínica priorizaron el acceso a la información, la capacitación en salud y derechos y el litigio estratégico, en una constelación de estrategias atentas y comprometidas con la defensa de poblaciones que nunca habían estado en las prioridades de la agenda pública. Conclusión: frente a un escenario de crisis, las clínicas jurídicas pueden ayudar a proponer urgencias contra hegemónicas capaces de responder a los problemas y atender a las personas que están fuera de la agenda prioritaria de las políticas públicas vinculadas a la pandemia.

Education components of school vaccine mandates: An environmental scan.

BACKGROUND: School vaccine mandates (SVMs) are population health interventions that require monitoring and communicating about vaccination of school-aged children, with an aim of controlling infectious disease outbreaks. While 43 % of World Health Organization member states report having some sort of SVM, their details vary. A newer element of some SVMs is an "education component" requiring compulsory information, education, or counseling of parents/guardians who decline to vaccinate their children for non-medical reasons. METHODS: This environmental scan sought, mapped, and synthesized evidence on the existence, format, and impacts of education components of SVMs in 18 affluent Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development comparator countries. FINDINGS: We found current SVMs in nine of the 18 comparator countries, but education components to those SVMs only in Canada (n = 2) and the U.S. (n = 9), where such policies were made at the provincial/state level. The earliest was implemented in 2011 and most recent has not yet been implemented. Education components were used as requirements for obtaining non-medical exemptions from SVMs, and involved either an informational paper to be read and signed, a counseling or information session from a health professional (public health worker or licensed provider such as family doctor), or an online module to be completed. Peer-reviewed research on in-person sessions suggests association with at least short-term increased vaccine uptake and reduction of non-medical exemptions. Available data on online module education components suggests similar impacts, but research to date is limited. CONCLUSION: SVMs with educational components are uncommon but have been increasing since 2011. The details of these education components vary, although topics covered in online modules are relatively consistent. Evidence to date suggests at least short-term reduction in non-medical exemptions associated with implementation of SVM education components, but additional research is required to follow-up and confirm, especially as regards online education modules.

Adolescents' loneliness in European schools: a multilevel exploration of school environment and individual factors.

BACKGROUND: Loneliness has been recognized as a public health issue and has moved into a number of European countries' policy agendas. Literature examining loneliness in young people (and especially in adolescents) is scarce, but it does show that at this age feelings of loneliness have been increasing in recent decades and are detrimental for both adolescents' current and future well-being. In order to explain loneliness, current literature focuses generally on individual, rather than on broader, environmental characteristics. This study examines school associates of loneliness and compares their importance to those at the individual level because schools are the most important places in which adolescents are socially embedded. In addition, policy interventions on loneliness might be more feasible at the school than the individual level. METHODS: This study uses a single-item measure of adolescents' loneliness feelings in schools and exploits rich data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2018) on 23 European countries covering 118,698 students (50.2% female) in 4,819 schools. This study applies multi-level models to investigate school level factors jointly with those at the individual level. RESULTS: Differences between European schools can explain a 20% variation in feelings of loneliness, thereby indicating the importance of the school environment. Furthermore, adolescents' bullying experiences and a bullying climate in school more than doubles incidences of loneliness. In addition, a cooperative climate as well as teacher support can considerably decrease school loneliness. Cross-level interactions do exist: being from a lower socioeconomic background for instance, while not important generally, increases loneliness feelings if most of the school peers are from a better socioeconomic background. School factors appear to be more important for explaining young people's loneliness incidence than individual characteristics. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to compare school level and individual level factors relating to youth loneliness in schools throughout Europe. Results emphasizing the importance of school environment for explaining adolescents' loneliness suggest that school level initiatives may be most appropriate in tackling loneliness when compared to wider and less contextualized national policies that focus on adolescents outside of school.

Migración en Chile e inclusión educativa: un estudio documental (1980-2021) / Migration in Chile and educational inclusion: A document study (1980-2021)

(analítico) El artículo de investigación tiene por objetivo develar el tipo de enfoque de inclusión educativa que subyace en las leyes, políticas y orientaciones publicadas en Chile entre 1980 y 2021, cuando estas se refieren a estudiantes migrantes. El estudio cualitativo desarrolla un diseño documental que analiza 22 documentos accesados desde la web de los Ministerios del Interior y Seguridad Pública y de Educación. Los resultados dan cuenta de la inespecificidad con la realidad escolar migrante, especialmente en el cuerpo legal, donde se evidencia solo enfoque educativo tendiente a la integración y de interculturalidad funcional. En algunas orientaciones, que intentan promover la valoración de la diversidad cultural, se avanza hacia una interculturalidad crítica. En conclusión, esta divergencia e inespecificidad dejan en un interrogante la inclusión educativa del alumnado migrante en Chile.

(analytical) This research article aims to identify the type of approach to educational inclusion evident in the laws, policies and guidelines published in Chile between 1980 and 2021 that refer to migrant students. The qualitative study uses a documentation design that analyses 22 documents retrieved from the websites of the Ministries of the Interior and Public Security and Education. The results highlight the lack of specificity with the reality of migrants in schools, particularly in legislation, where there is only evidence of an educational approach that is aimed at integration and functional interculturality. There is a move towards critical interculturality in some guidelines that attempt to promote and value cultural diversity. This divergence and lack of specificity leave a question mark over the educational inclusion of migrant students in Chile.

(analítico) Este estudo examina o conhecimento sobre as propriedades formais e a função referencial de O artigo de pesquisa visa desvendar o tipo de abordagem da inclusão educacional que está subjacente às leis, políticas e diretrizes publicadas no Chile entre 1980 e 2021, quando se referem a estudantes migrantes. O estudo qualitativo desenvolve um projeto documental que analisa 22 documentos acessados dos sites dos Ministérios do Interior e da Segurança Pública e Educação. Os resultados mostram a falta de especificidade com a realidade das escolas de migrantes, especialmente no corpo jurídico, onde há apenas evidências de uma abordagem educacional voltada para a integração e a interculturalidade funcional. Em algumas diretrizes, que tentam promover a valorização da diversidade cultural, há um movimento em direção à interculturalidade crítica. Em conclusão, esta divergência e falta de especificidade deixam um ponto de interrogação sobre a inclusão educacional de alunos migrantes no Chile.

Defining early education quality using CLASS-observed teacher-student interaction.

In this paper we argue that the quality of early education programs or classrooms can be defined in terms of features of teachers' interactions with students observed using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System, or CLASS. We present evidence suggesting that dimensions of teacher-student interactions can be described, observed, and measured consistently across cultures and countries and that such dimensions also have modestly positive influence student development and learning. Evidence is summarized indicating that interactions can also be improved systematically through professional development interventions. The paper relies on a framework that describes core features of effective teacher-student interactions present across countries' highly varied settings and cultural contexts. Limitations of the study include exclusive reliance on the CLASS and that most countries were not low or middle income. We discuss the cross-cultural applicability of the framework and outline suggestions for education policy and practice and future directions for research.

Spatial-temporal evolution pattern and optimization path of family education policy: An LDA thematic model approach.

Family education policy plays a crucial role in modernizing family education. By examining the temporal and spatial evolution of this policy, its inherent logic, constructs, and optimal pathways can be better understood. The study analyzed local family education policy documents, extracting six major themes using the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model, and presented them according to the calculated mean theme probability. The themes include parental ability, school security, institutional environment, government support, social coordination, and high-quality development. Parental ability and government support were found to be particularly prominent, suggesting that many local policies focus on enhancing parents' skills for delivering family education and bolstering the government's role in public affairs. This combines the dual responsibilities of being an educational entity and accountable subject in the joint development of family education. Understanding the characteristics and variations in temporal and spatial distribution can enrich family education policy design, fostering the high-quality development of family education initiatives. Based on the findings, the study proposes three optimization paths for policy design: promotion and empowerment (building a multi-cooperative system), regional interconnection (understanding the current state of local policies and leveraging their strengths), and breaking barriers (simultaneously promoting the inclusiveness of family education and brand development). This study emphasizes the needs of customizing family education policy based on the temporal and spatial features and local requirements for maximum outputs.

A Call to Action for Improving LGBTQIA2S+ Inclusive Policies and Practices in Educating Science and Medical Professionals.

Based on Nature's novel sex and gender guidelines, we share a call to action to enact policy changes in medical and scientific education. We conducted a literature search of current policies and practices affecting sex and gender minorities. Our work indicated a scarcity of guidelines and curricula dedicated to standardizing LGBTQIA2S+ topics. Educational policies must be enacted to ensure that sex and gender guidelines are implemented across all institutions as it impacts the future of healthcare and science. It is essential that sex and gender considerations be mandated topics in both medical and scientific education.

The negative health spillover effects of universal primary education policy: Ethnographic evidence from Uganda.

Scholars of global health have embraced universal education as a structural intervention to prevent HIV. Yet the costs of school, including fees and other ancillary costs, create an economic burden for students and their families, indicating both the challenge of realising the potential of education for preventing HIV and the ways in which the desire for education may produce vulnerabilities to HIV for those struggling to afford it. To explore this paradox, this article draws from collaborative, team-based ethnographic research conducted from June to August 2019 in the Rakai district of Uganda. Respondents reported that education is the most significant cost burden faced by Ugandan families, sometimes amounting to as much as 66% of yearly household budgets per student. Respondents further understood paying for children's schooling as both a legal requirement and a valued social goal, and they pointed to men's labour migrations to high HIV-prevalence communities and women's participation in sex work as strategies to achieve that. Building from regional evidence showing young East African women participate in transactional, intergenerational sex to secure school fees for themselves, our findings point to the negative health spillover effects of Uganda's universal schooling policies for the whole family.

COVID-19 and the second exams fiasco across the UK: four nations trying to avoid immediate policy failure.

In 2021, the UK and devolved governments tried to avoid the school exams fiasco of 2020. Their immediate marker of success was to prevent a similar U-turn on their COVID-19 school exams replacement policies. They still cancelled the traditional exam format, and sought teacher assessments to determine their grades, but this time without using an algorithm to standardise the results. The outcomes produced some concerns about inequity, since the unequal exam results are similar to those experienced in 2020. However, we did not witness the same sense of acute political crisis. We explain these developments by explaining this year's 'windows of opportunity' overseen by four separate governments, in which the definition of the problem, feasibility of each solution, and motive of policymakers to select one, connects strongly to the previous U-turn. A policy solution that had been rejected during the first window became a lifeline during the second and a likely choice during the third. This action solved an immediate crisis despite exacerbating the problem that ministers had previously sought to avoid ('grade inflation'). It produced another year of stark education inequity, but also ensured that inequity went from part of an acute political crisis to its usual status as a chronic low-attention policy problem.