AUSTRALIA

Boarding school fee hike for country parents as Royalties for Regions subsidy axed
ABC News wrote about how WA parents in country regional areas will have to find more money for boarding school fees next year after the WA Government axed the Royalties for Regions subsidy which help regional families with education costs.  The Isolated Children's Parent's Association WA president Tash Johns is urging the WA Government to reconsider the decision as it will impact struggling families throughout the state.

Unvaccinated children banned from childcare across NSW as conscientious objector loophole closed
The Sydney Morning Herald reported about a legislation change which parents who refuse to vaccinate their children will no longer be able to enrol children into childcare, with the NSW Government removing the “conscientious objector” loophole in the NSW ‘no jab, no play’ laws.  The NSW parliament passed a Bill to amend the Public Health Act, introducing stronger requirements for families enrolling childhood education and care centres. From January 2018, children who are not fully immunised to their parents' conscientious objection to vaccines will no longer be able to be enrolled in child care.

INTERNATIONAL

Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur school fire kills at least 23, mostly students, officials say
ABC News reported about how a fire at an Islamic boarding school in Kuala Lumpur, has claimed the lives of at least 23 people, most of them were students. The fire blocked the only exit in the boarding school, leaving teachers and students trapped behind barred windows. The cause of the fire is believed to have been an electrical short-circuit.

USA: Student killed in school shooting in US state of Washington
News.com.au reported about how a student gunned down a classmate at a US high school. One student was killed and at least three others were injured in a shooting in a school in Washington State. The school was placed into lockdown until local Police made the area safe.

UK: Private school pupil expelled after taking ecstasy
STV News reported about a 16-year-old student who was found fidgeting and appeared agitated at a school church service. The student was checked over by staff before police were called in the following day. The school later confirmed that the pupil was expelled for consuming ecstasy.

Mexico: Mexico earthquake: Students send text messages from within rubble as rescuers search collapsed school
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, rescue workers have scrabbled through piles of rubble to search for dozens of children feared buried under a Mexico City School after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit the region. Among the twisted concrete and steel ruins of the school, soldiers and firefighters found the bodies of at least 22 children and two adults, while another 30 children and 12 adults are still unaccounted for.