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14 Dec 2015
Journal Article

Underresourced, Undervalued, and Underutilized: Making the Case for Teachers in Refugee and Emergency Contexts

Amy West and Hannah Ring

The number of people displaced by war, persecution, or violence has reached its highest point since World War II. According to the most recent United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) estimate, there are 60 million refugees and internally displaced people in the world today.

Teachers are a critical resource for children in refugee and emergency settings, yet few studies have examined what motivates or demotivates teachers, especially in refugee and emergency contexts.

This article explores the key findings from field research conducted in Algeria and Ethiopia by AIR as part of a study for the UNHCR, finding that cost-effective policies and technical responses that begin to address teacher retention challenges will affect student achievement, reinvigorate teaching forces, and attract new teachers to serve in even the most difficult contexts.

The findings are organized according to seven critical factors: teacher recruitment, selection, and deployment; the teaching environment; certification; professional development; incentives; management structures; and, status and social recognition.

Since 2012, AIR has been working with UNHCR on solutions to some of the greatest education and livelihood challenges faced by both refugees and internally displaced (IDP) people. AIR has helped UNHCR on applied research studies in refugee and IDP communities in Algeria, Armenia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Pakistan, Republic of Georgia, and Rwanda. One such project—a literature review combined with expert interviews and field missions in refugee camps in Algeria and Ethiopia—investigated teacher retention challenges in refugee and emergency settings.

Underresourced, Undervalued, and Underutilized: Making the Case for Teachers in Refugee and Emergency Contexts is featured in the Fall 2015 issue (Vol 14, No 3) of the International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives.

PDF icon Underresourced, Undervalued, and Underutilized: Making the Case for Teachers in Refugee and Emergency Contexts (PDF)
International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives

Related Work

11 Dec 2015
Report

Teacher Retention in Refugee and Emergency Settings: The State of the Literature

Teacher quality is recognized as a primary driver of variation in student learning outcomes, particularly in refugee and emergency settings, but few studies have examined the factors that motivate or demotivate teachers in these contexts. This article examines secondary source materials from academic experts and gray literature from United Nations agencies and nongovernmental organizations to identify seven key areas that affect teacher retention in refugee and emergency settings.
Topic: 
Education, Teacher Preparation and Performance, International, Refugee and Migrant Populations
9 Mar 2014
Commentary

Syrian Refugees Need More Than Food

In this commentary, AIR expert Amy West discusses the need for education and job skills training for displaced Syrian youth, a need that will require the help and cooperation of education ministries, donors, government officials, and others from multiple countries.
Topic: 
Social and Emotional Learning, International, International Education, Refugee and Migrant Populations
21 Apr 2014
Video

long-story-short-amy-west-230x164-150dpi.jpg

Long Story Short: Why Is Education So Critical for Syrian Refugee Youth?

The Syrian crisis has disrupted the education of Syrian youth and confounded the education systems in countries receiving them. In this 90-second video interview, Amy West, principal project specialist at AIR, explains why education is so critical for Syrian refugee youth.
Topic: 
International, International Education, Refugee and Migrant Populations

Further Reading

  • Supporting Teachers and Students in Refugee Settings
  • Teacher Retention in Refugee and Emergency Settings: The State of the Literature
  • What Can Be Done for Syria's Refugees?
  • Refugee and Migrant Initiatives
  • UNHCR Teacher Retention Project in Algeria, Ethiopia, and Pakistan
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Hannah Ring

Hannah Ring

Senior Researcher

Topic

Education
Teacher Preparation and Performance
International
International Education
Refugee and Migrant Populations

RESEARCH. EVALUATION. APPLICATION. IMPACT.

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