Supporting teachers in back-to-school efforts – A toolkit for school leaders

This Toolkit was designed for school leaders to support and protect teachers and education support staff in the return to school following COVID-19 related closures. While aimed primarily at school leaders, the Toolkit is also potentially useful for teachers and education support staff to better understand their roles and responsibilities in back-to-school efforts. It is based on the seven dimensions laid out in the joint UNESCO/Teacher Task Force/ILO policy guidance found in the document Supporting teachers in back-toschool efforts - Guidance for policy-makers.

The Toolkit was designed to meet the needs of schools ranging from early childhood to secondary education, yet it can also be applied in other contexts, including technical and vocational education and training institutions, and non-formal education settings.

It contains relevant background information, guiding questions, practical tips and suggestions about practical, operational and pedagogical questions about school reopening, as well as links to protocols and other online resources.

The Toolkit draws on existing guidance related to the COVID-19 crisis, the findings of on-going dialogue between national and regional stakeholders, and perspectives from the greater international education community. Where applicable, it draws on lessons from past and ongoing crises relevant to the current context. 

This is the second edition of the toolkit for school leaders to support teachers and other education personnel in back-to-school efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. This toolkit has been updated to include the feedback and experiences of school leaders from across the globe as they deal with school closures and re-opening.