The Role of Universities in Supporting the Professional Development of Secondary School Teachers Serving both Refugee and Host Communities: The Case of South Sudan

Abstract

Teachers are a critical resource for children in refugee settings as well as change agents to bring peace and security in the area. It is also recognized that teacher quality is a primary driver of variation in student learning outcomes in refugee contexts. Yet few studies have examined what motivates or demotivates teachers, especially in refugee camps. Investment in refugee teachers as professionals and as learners is an investment in durable solutions to improve the situations. Refugee teachers develop on the job professional experience and skills as teachers, which builds human capital for refugee and host communities. This study therefore presents UNESCO-IICBA’s attempt at examining the needs of teachers in refugee camp schools of the Republic of South Sudan in 2016. For this purpose, three camps, namely Adjuong Thok, Maban and Yei, were selected in collaboration with the UNHCR and UNESCO-Juba Offices. The study employed a descriptive survey study using questionnaire for secondary school teachers of children of the refugee and host communities, focus-group discussions with teachers, students and relevant authorities/stakeholders. The paper also presents the proposed solutions and the limited attempts carried out to alleviate the challenges in relation to the roles of universities, both public and private.