[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”4110.5px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”55.6px” custom_margin=”-77px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
By Nina Papadopoulos<\/span>, Senior Education Officer <\/span>UNHCR <\/span> \u2013<\/span> September 2025<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”185px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”538.3px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”441.1px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n When we think about education, we often picture children with books in hand, guided by a teacher who nurtures their curiosity and potential. For refugee learners, this vision is far more fragile. We rightly advocate for every child\u2019s right to education: equitable access to schools, quality instruction, and learning spaces that are protective and inclusive. But none of this can be achieved without teachers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Teachers are the backbone of any education system. In displacement settings, they are even more indispensable, but too often remain invisible in policy and planning. Teachers in crisis-affected settings bring incredible commitment to their students, even under the most difficult circumstances. And yet, refugee teachers are frequently excluded from formal systems, denied recognition of their qualifications, and offered only short-term stipends with no path to a stable career.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2025\/09\/blog-education-1.png” alt=”A man standing in front of a chalkboard.” title_text=”blog-education-1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”306.3px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n This not only affects their motivation and retention, but it also directly impacts the quality and consistency of education for refugee children.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As the UN agency mandated to protect and assist refugees, UNHCR plays a central role in strengthening national education systems and ensuring displaced learners are not left behind. UNHCR\u2019s Education 2030 Strategy places teachers at the core of its priorities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We do this by emphasizing the need for qualified, well-compensated, and professionally recognized educators who can deliver quality, inclusive, and protective education to refugee children. Across operations, UNHCR works with governments and partners to advocate for the inclusion of refugee teachers in national policies, workforce planning, and professional development pathways.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”409.7px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2025\/09\/blog-education-2.png” alt=”A group of students in a classroom” title_text=”blog-education-2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n To better understand these challenges, we commissioned a global study with in-depth case studies from Chad, Malaysia, and Uganda. The findings are clear: refugee education cannot succeed without investment in the teachers who make it possible.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49Teachers in Refugee and Displacement Settings: Challenges and Strategies for Teacher Quality and Workforce Sustainability, UNHCR<\/a>, Mendenhall, M. (2024).<\/span><\/p>\n Including: <\/span><\/span>Chad Case Study<\/span>,<\/span><\/span><\/a> <\/span><\/span>Malaysia Case Study,<\/span><\/span><\/a> and <\/span><\/span>Uganda Case Study<\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”945.9px” custom_margin=”|auto|-79px|auto||” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”859.9px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The study highlights the complex and intersecting challenges faced by <\/span>refugee teachers<\/span><\/b> and <\/span>teachers working in refugee-hosting areas<\/span><\/b>, including:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These challenges play out differently across country contexts:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n What\u2019s clear across all contexts is this: no education system can function without teachers. In refugee settings, teachers are not only educators they are also mentors, role models, and a lifeline of stability. They manage overcrowded classrooms, often with no curriculum or teaching aids, and still show up every day. If we continue to ignore the structural barriers they face, we risk losing them. And with them the chance to deliver quality education to millions of displaced learners.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Our report calls for a shift in how we think about and plan for the refugee teaching workforce. We must recognize refugee teachers as professionals, create viable pathways for growth, and ensure fair and sustainable compensation.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2025\/09\/blog-education-3.png” alt=”A woman is standing next to a chalkboard, in a classroom full of young girls.” title_text=”blog-education-3″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Tadmoun Primary School, Farchana refugee camp, hosts over 1,300 Sudanese refugee students. \u00a9 UNHCR\/Ying Hu<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Specifically:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Recognition and accreditation: <\/span><\/b>Link refugee teachers\u2019 prior qualifications and teaching experience to national education systems by developing equivalency frameworks aligned with national professional standards. Work with ministries of education to ensure that certification and teacher registration processes are inclusive of refugee teachers and allow for assessment of their expertise against national benchmarks.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Professional pathways:<\/span><\/b> Strengthen inclusive career development frameworks that enable refugee teachers to move into national teaching positions, including opportunities for advancement, mentorship, and leadership. Ensure refugee teachers can access national professional growth and peer learning opportunities while addressing specific barriers they may face due to displacement, legal status, or financial constraints.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Fair remuneration and sustainable financing:<\/span><\/b> Ensure timely and adequate pay that reflects teachers\u2019 roles and responsibilities. Develop sustainable financing approaches\u2014through government and donor collaboration\u2014to stabilize teacher compensation and workforce planning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Strengthened workforce management and data systems<\/span><\/b>: Invest in teacher management and data systems to enable evidence-based planning and coordination. Ensure refugee teachers are counted, monitored, and included in national education workforce strategies.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The way forward also requires partnerships. No single actor can address these systemic challenges alone. Collaborating with organizations such as <\/span>the Education Above All <\/span>(EAA)<\/span>\u00a0Foundation with support from Qatar Fund for Development<\/span>\u00a0(QFFD) allows us to combine resources, advocacy, and technical expertise to advance our shared goals of ensuring every refugee child learns with the guidance of a qualified teacher. Through such partnerships, we are not only mobilizing funding but also strengthening global commitments to prioritize teachers at the heart of education systems. At the same time, research collaborations are critical. UNHCR\u2019s partnership with Jigsaw, funded by GPE\u2019s Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX), <\/span>Scaling Refugee Teacher Inclusion Models for Agency and Well-being<\/span><\/a>, is expanding the evidence base on refugee teachers\u2019 agency and well-being. By documenting their voices, experiences, and resilience, we aim to ensure that policy solutions are grounded in the realities of those on the frontlines of refugee education.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Investing in refugee teachers is not only a matter of fairness, but also a prerequisite for delivering on the promise of inclusive, equitable, and quality education for displaced children and youth. Policymakers, donors, and education actors must move beyond rhetoric and take coordinated action. By prioritizing recognition, professional pathways, and fair remuneration, we can create stronger education systems that benefit both refugees and host community learners. As children in many countries head back to school, we must ensure refugee learners are not left behind. With qualified and motivated teachers to guide them, these children can realize their full potential not only as students, but as the future peacemakers and global citizens our world so urgently needs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Special thanks to Anoushka Brun, UNHCR Basic Education Intern, for their research and drafting support on writing this blog. <\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Nina Papadopoulos, Senior Education Officer UNHCR \u2013 September 2025As children around the world return to school this season, gathering supplies, meeting teachers, and stepping into classrooms filled with possibility, millions of refugee children face a different reality. For them, access is uncertain, classrooms are overcrowded, and learning materials are limited. At the center of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":697,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11247","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-education"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11247","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/697"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11247"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11247\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11299,"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11247\/revisions\/11299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11247"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11247"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11247"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}As children around the world return to school this season, gathering supplies, meeting teachers, and stepping into classrooms filled with possibility, millions of refugee children face a different reality. For them, access is uncertain, classrooms are overcrowded, and learning materials are limited. At the center of this disparity is one critical yet often overlooked factor: teachers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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