Psychosocial Support and Social-Emotional Learning for Teachers and Learners in Times of Conflict

The current Middle East crisis is generating widespread disruptions across education systems in the Arab States. While the Gulf States have not been directly affected by large-scale destruction, they are increasingly exposed to security risks and heightened defense measures. In response, governments have prioritized precautionary actions, including shifting teaching and learning online. Temporary closures and rapid modality shifts are disrupting access to education and affecting the continuity of learning across schools and higher education institutions, including the conduct of high‐stakes examinations.

UNESCO and the Inter‐agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE), jointly organizing this webinar, recognize that such conditions have direct implications for the psychosocial well‐being of teachers and learners, with consequences for engagement, retention, teaching quality, and social cohesion. Without deliberate attention to Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, there is the risk of exacerbating inequalities and undermining the right to education, particularly for vulnerable populations including displaced learners, migrant communities, girls and young women, and learners with disabilities.

The purpose of the webinar is to:

• Strengthen regional understanding, leadership, and action on integrating Psychosocial Support (PSS) into education policies, institutions, and teaching practices for teachers and learners in times of uncertainty and conflict.
• Highlight the psychosocial needs of adolescents, youth, and university students, and the role of education institutions in supporting their well-being.
• Explore how conflict, instability, and uncertainty affect the mental health and psychosocial well-being of teachers, learners, and education personnel in the Gulf States.
• Position PSS as a foundational element of quality education, teacher support, and learner protection, including in online and blended learning environments.
• Strengthen understanding of teachers’ and faculty members’ well-being as a system-level priority, particularly in crisis and digitally mediated contexts.
• Share global standards, regional experiences, and promising practices, drawing on UNESCO and INEE expertise, for embedding PSS within education systems.
• Foster dialogue and collaboration among education authorities, higher education institutions, humanitarian actors, and psychosocial support stakeholders across the region.