Refugee teacher isolation

This NORRAG Policy Insights publication on refugee teachers is born from a realisation that, while education has received increased attention in global refugee policy and programming, refugee teachers and teachers of refugees have often been overlooked. Additionally, although nationally registered teachers’ work, well-being, and professional development received overdue attention at the 2022 United Nations Transforming Education Summit and with the establishment of a High-level Panel on the Teaching Profession in 2023, the unique realities and needs of refugee teachers remain under researched, under addressed, and under funded.

On the occasion of the second Global Refugee Forum in 2023, NORRAG brought together 48 experts from its network of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to critically reflect on the challenges facing refugee teachers to promote evidence-informed policies to help ensure that teachers are recognised for the role they play at the heart of the global refugee response.

Representing more than 15 contexts, the 28 contributions in this publication showcase current evidence and propose policy priorities across three themes: including refugee teacher voices in policy making and practice, addressing the challenges of teachers’ work and wellbeing, and improving refugee teacher professional development. Through these themes, it is NORRAG’s vision that these compelling contributions inform debate and inspire researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to engage with and learn from refugee teachers as teachers and as transformative agents of change.