Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
On 4 March 2026, UNESCO and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 convened educators and policymakers to discuss ways to better recognize and support refugee teachers amid global teacher shortages. In refugee-hosting communities, education provides stability for children affected by crises, relying on refugee teachers who often lack formal contracts, recognition, or adequate pay, and sometimes work outside national systems. Some refugee teachers have left the profession due to insecurity, while others remain without clear pathways to certification or employment.
Refugee teachers play a crucial role in multilingual classrooms impacted by displacement, bridging communication gaps and supporting learning. Despite their contributions, many remain excluded from national education systems due to barriers in qualification recognition and certification.
According to UNESCO's recent report, an additional 44 million teachers are required globally by 2030 to fulfill Sustainable Development Goal 4, with nearly 58% needed to replace those leaving the profession. Recognizing refugee teachers is directly linked to achieving this global education agenda. International commitments such as the Santiago Consensus emphasize building inclusive, diverse, and supportive teaching workforces.
Speakers at the event called for integrating refugee teachers into national systems, moving beyond temporary and parallel education solutions, particularly under SDG 4 Target 4.c, which aims to increase the supply of qualified teachers. In Kenya, for example, refugee teachers make up a large part of the workforce in camp settings but still face obstacles to training and certification. Efforts are underway to create more inclusive pathways that align refugee teachers' qualifications with national standards.
Carlos Vargas, Chief of UNESCO’s Section for Teacher Development, emphasized that recognizing refugee teachers is vital to global education efforts and highlighted the importance of their inclusion and support.