Teaching Amidst Conflict and Displacement: Persistent Challenges and Promising Practices for Refugee, Internally Displaced and National Teachers

Background paper prepared for the 2019 Global Education Monitoring Report

Confronted with record-high numbers of displaced persons and protracted crises that have lasted for decades, this paper draws on case study examples from multiple countries to examine both the persistent challenges and promising practices for refugee, internally displaced, and national teachers in their efforts to provide education to the millions of children and youth affected by crisis. Specific examples are drawn from Chad, Ethiopia, Germany, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey, and Uganda. The paper is organized into sections related to teacher supply and planning, teacher professional development, teacher well-being and motivation, and teacher agency and resilience. It also identifies new possibilities within the policy sphere that could be leveraged to strengthen support for teachers working in displacement settings. The paper concludes with detailed recommendations for improving teacher management and development in displacement settings.