In Their Own Words: Teachers, Learners, and Practitioners on the Realities of Education in Emergencies
“Creativity is not a teaching tool. It’s how we survive.” — Teacher, Lebanon
Quality education in emergencies (EiE) provides physical, psychosocial, and cognitive protection that can save and sustain lives, while ensuring equitable, inclusive, and quality learning opportunities for people of all ages in crisis situations (INEE Minimum Standards 2024 Edition). Yet recent cuts in humanitarian funding are putting even more children and youth at risk by limiting their access to this essential protection and support. These cuts, coupled with a troubling shift in the humanitarian discourse suggesting that EiE and Child Protection are not essential components of crisis preparedness and response, signal a possible departure from the core principles of humanitarian action and undermine the universal, interdependent, indivisible, and inalienable nature of Human Rights.
The Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) is a global network of more than 22,000 EiE actors and stakeholders, affiliated with over 4,000 organisations and institutions across 190 countries and territories. INEE recognises that times are changing, and the sector cannot remain static or rely on outdated practices if we are to uphold Education as a Human Right as part of Humanitarian preparedness and response in the face of today’s complex and protracted crises.
In line with our commitment to centre the voices of our members, we asked our global community to reflect on the impact of recent aid cuts and to share their insights on what’s next for education in emergencies. Below are their answers, in their own words. These statements were collected through the INEE’s member survey and focus group discussions held over the past two months. We extend our sincere thanks to all members who contributed to this process, especially the Teach For All network, who co-facilitated the focus group discussions with teachers and students.
What happens when aid is suddenly cut?
“Given the recent budget cuts to humanitarian aid, we have closed our doors, no funding, we were forced to close the education program. We have no subsidy from the Congolese government, that's our situation.” – INEE Member based in DRC
“We’re trying to fill the gap with small enterprises, with community contributions. But it’s not enough.” — NGO, Venezuela
“While we are still seeking alternative funding opportunities, our operations and level of support to the education sector have been limited, leaving currently no other options till further progress or funding can be available.” – INEE Member based in Turkey
“We recognize that traditional funding sources may be limited, and we aim to identify innovative, community-driven solutions that can help bridge the funding gap” – INEE Member based in Nigeria
What does teaching look like when there’s nothing left to teach with?
“There were no books. No electricity. The school was damaged. No windows, no doors. But children showed up every day. We made board games out of drink bottles to teach fractions. We don't wait for the perfect conditions. When a child walks into our classroom, we rise to meet the children's hope.” — Teacher, Lebanon
“We write on cloth. We draw on the ground. We do what we can with what we have. This is our responsibility, to do our best. In whatever circumstances, the most important thing is education. But we cannot cope alone.” — Teacher, Afghanistan
“I use my own phone to show students pictures. For example, if you're talking to a student about a forest, they cannot imagine a forest being in the Sahel, so we adapt to use our own resources to transmit the message to students. This is not sustainable. We have the willingness to teach, we are motivated, we have a mission to reach our goals. We do our best. But to be honest, things aren't easy.” — Teacher, Niger
What keeps teachers going when their systems break down?
“Education in Palestine is power. When I teach students and work with them, together we’re showing resilience and struggling to continue to exist.” – Teachers, Palestine
“Love for my country keeps me going. Giving back to the community that helped me become who I am now. Love for my students keeps me going. I want to show them that they are capable and have power, they can achieve whatever they set their mind to.” – Teacher, Ukraine
“I want my students to dream big, no matter what their background is. I have 90 students per class in Cox’s Bazar, it’s hard.” – Teacher, Bangladesh
“I witness the resilience and huge potential of refugee children every day. I try to make the school a safe space for kids to rebuild hope, to dream beyond the borders, allowing children to thrive despite the trauma of displacement.” Teacher, Uganda
What do learners need, beyond textbooks and grades?
“Teach us how to think, not just what to memorize. You won’t have a textbook about life.” — Student, Poland
“We don’t need to be pushed or hurt—we need to be respected.” — Student, Uganda
“We’re all different, different goals, different dreams. Inspire us more. Criticize us less. Ask us what we think.” — Student, Zimbabwe
What does real localisation look like?
“Localization requires adequate resourcing. Without it, it’s empty.” —
“We must reflect on what localization entails in a responsible way. Localization should not just mean transferring financial responsibility to the local community without giving it decision-making authority. Nor should it be about transferring risk. - INEE member based in Colombia
“There is a need for greater clarity on what localization means. Some actors think it is only geographic coverage, others believe it is simply the transfer of funds to local or national levels. But it is a much broader process, it is also an exchange of knowledge and capabilities, a bidirectional growth: we learn from the local to the global” - INEE member based in Panamá
“Ministries, schools, communities, local organizations, students and the private sector must be involved. Preferably [...] anyone who imposes models that are not suitable for the local context or works without coordination with national authorities [should step away].” – INEE Member based in Palestine
“A ‘beyond-aid’ future would prioritize local ownership, integrating education into broader development agendas. It would emphasize community-driven solutions [and] equitable resource distribution…” – INEE Member based in Afghanistan
“Prioritizing localization shifting power from UN and international organizations to the local organizations. Local organizations can bring the fact and reality at the ground…bring[ing] better solution[s].” – INEE Member based in Somalia
What is one message you have for decision makers?
From students:
“Don’t make decisions without us. We are living the reality, you are not.” — Student, Zimbabwe
“Support us, but don’t speak for us. Share power. Share decisions. Share trust.” — Student, India
From teachers:
“The political men see education as an expenditure. This is a mistake. Education is an investment. I call on them to see education as an investment and not an expenditure” – Teacher, Niger
“I’d say thank you for your interest to develop our students. You need to focus on making sure schools are safe spaces”. – Teacher, Palestine
“Teachers alone cannot carry the weight of systematic challenges”. – Teacher, Lebanon
“You cannot have education without teachers. They are the backbone of education. We need to put the teacher in the right conditions, in better living conditions. This guarantees better quality of education for students. The state must invest, partners must invest to improve the living and working conditions, so teachers are not too poor to execute their noble mission”. – Teacher, Niger
“I would remind the decision makers that a school is a hub! Whenever a disaster comes, schools are always the focal points. We created cyclone centres in our school for the community, and we hosted refugees in our school as shelter”. Teacher, Bangladesh
“We cannot cope alone. I call on those who supported us to keep their efforts and to continue supporting education in Afghanistan. I hope that international partners will continue to stand with Afghan educators” – Teacher, Afghanistan
From Education Practitioners:
“The responsibility of the State cannot be transferred to the communities, but communities can be strengthened as transforming agents of their own reality.” - INEE member based in Bolivia
“Depoliticizing and decolonizing education. The absence of funding revealed the reality of the perverse power dynamics behind [the sector].” – INEE Member based in Venezuela
“Some global entities are adapting and softening their narrative for fear of not discomfiting and further affecting funding. This change in narrative implies giving up the fundamentals of humanitarian work, and is a reflection of the crisis in the sector. We need to ensure narratives that reflect the reality and what is happening.” - INEE member in LAC
What These Voices Tell Us
Teachers are doing everything with nothing, and still showing up.
Students are asking to be seen, respected, and heard.
Local actors are innovating with limited resources and no recognition.
Education is not an expense. It is an investment.
Power dynamics must shift for anything meaningful to change.
Let’s listen. Let’s act. Let’s stand with them.