This blog has been authored by UNESCO and the Secretariat of the Teacher Task Force.
In classrooms shaped by crisis and displacement, refugee teachers are already making learning possible. But without recognition and support, their contribution remains overlooked. A joint UNESCO and Teacher Task Force webinar explored how changing this could transform education systems.
On 4 March 2026, UNESCO and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 (Teacher Task Force) brought together educators, policymakers and partners to address a pressing question: how can refugee teachers be better recognized and supported in response to global teacher shortages?
For Alhamis Dicko, a refugee teacher from Mali living in Mauritania, the issue is deeply personal.
“Teachers are human beings, they have families, they deserve stability and dignity,” he said.
Speaking during the webinar Recognizing and Empowering Refugee Teachers: A Sustainable Response to Teacher Shortages in Crisis-Affected Contexts, he described what it means to teach in displacement, and what is lost when refugee teachers are not recognized and supported.
Teaching against the odds
In refugee-hosting communities, education is often one of the few sources of stability for children affected by crisis. But it depends on teachers, many of whom are refugees themselves.
Across regions such as the Eastern Horn of Africa, refugee teachers make up a significant share of the workforce. Yet many work without formal contracts, professional recognition or adequate pay, often outside national systems.
Dicko described colleagues leaving the profession because they could not afford to stay. Others remain, but with no clear pathway to recognition.
“When teachers are secure, education is secure,” he said.
This reality was echoed by Margaret Atto, a refugee teacher in Uganda, who described multilingual classrooms shaped by displacement. Refugee teachers, she explained, play a vital role in bridging communication gaps and supporting learning.
“Our efforts should really not be taken for granted,” she said. “We are very resourceful.”
A global challenge – and a missed opportunity
The recent UNESCO–Teacher Task Force Global Report on Teachers estimates 44 million additional teachers are needed by 2030 to achieve SDG 4 – nearly 58% to replace those leaving the profession.
At the same time, many qualified refugee teachers remain excluded by barriers to qualification recognition, certification and employment.
“Recognizing refugee teachers is not separate from the global agenda — it is part of it,” said Carlos Vargas, Chief of UNESCO’s Section for Teacher Development and Head of the Teacher Task Force Secretariat.
This reflects international commitments, including the Santiago Consensus adopted at the World Summit on Teachers last year, which calls for more inclusive, diverse and well-supported teaching workforces.
From parallel systems to inclusion
Speakers called for moving beyond temporary, parallel systems toward full inclusion of refugee teachers in national education systems – in line with SDG 4, particularly Target 4.c on increasing the supply of qualified teachers.
Geofrey Tanui of Save the Children Kenya illustrated how this plays out in practice. In Kenya, refugee teachers make up a large share of the workforce in camp settings, yet still face barriers to training and certification. Efforts are underway to open more inclusive pathways into teacher training and align qualifications with national standards.
Tools such as the UNESCO Qualifications Passport help countries assess qualifications when documentation is incomplete. Stella Chipeta of the Zambia Qualifications Authority shared how this approach is being used in Zambia, while noting that recognition must link to national policies and employment systems to lead to real inclusion.
Listening to teachers and learning from evidence
The webinar also highlighted research from Jigsaw Education.
Katrina Barnes presented findings showing many refugee teachers are highly qualified but unable to have their credentials recognized. Many remain on short-term contracts or receive stipends that do not meet basic needs.
Testimonies reinforced these findings, pointing to complex processes, high costs and legal barriers. At the same time, they highlighted the essential role refugee teachers already play, particularly in multilingual classrooms.
From dialogue to action
Closing the discussion, Lily Neyestani-Hailu, Chief of UNESCO Section for Education in Emergency, emphasized that education in crisis contexts is more than a service – it is a source of protection, belonging and dignity. Teachers are at the heart of that response.
The challenge now is to turn dialogue into action by removing barriers to recognition, certification and employment, and enabling refugee teachers to work with dignity.
It starts with a simple shift in perspective: recognizing refugee teachers not as a temporary solution, but as part of the global teaching workforce.
As Dicko put it:
“Investing in teachers is not a cost. It is an investment in stability, social cohesion and peace.”