Rethinking Quality Teaching and Learning within Refugee Settlements and Fragile Contexts in Africa: A Discussion Workshop

Convener

Peter Timmerman CODE Ottawa, Canada

Ugochukwu Okoye CODE Ottawa, Canada

Keynote Speaker

Dr Teresa Mwoma, Kenyatta University Nairobi, Kenya

Executive Director, African Council for Distance Education

Abstract: This discussion workshop aims to explore and propose context-specific approaches to improve the quality of teaching and learning, and the development of context-relevant learning materials in educational programming for refugees and IDPs in fragile African contexts. The ongoing refugee crisis and conflict in various African countries have led to an increase in the number of displaced persons, including children, who have limited access to quality education.

Despite the significant efforts made to provide education to those affected by conflicts and forced displacement, equitable access to quality education remains a challenge in such contexts due to a combination of socio-cultural and economic dynamics unique to the different refugee contexts across the continent. To address these challenges, CODE through Teaching and Learning in Fragile Context (TLFC) program aims to draw on a combination of context-based evidence generated from both situational analysis and literature review of the current state of education programming in refugee and fragile settings in Africa to propose a new framework for IDP and Refugee education intervention programming in Africa. The teaching and Learning in Fragile Contexts (TLFC) project is designed to support inclusive, high-quality, and gender-responsive (GR) education for foundational learners, by linking research to programming, in fragile contexts, across sub-Saharan Africa. As part of developing the TFLC framework, the proposed workshop provides an opportunity to bring together literacy experts, education practitioners, and policymakers to generate new ideas on how to improve sustained literacy and learning outcomes in refugee and IDP contexts in Africa. The workshop is framed around the conference sub-theme of Rethinking literacy and inclusion in mitigating the learning poverty crisis and Literacy for equity outside the framework of formal education. The focus will be on gender equality and inclusion in educational programming, and how to adapt teaching and learning materials to the specific needs and realities of these populations. Participants will be encouraged to share their experiences, challenges, and successes in implementing educational programs in these contexts.

The workshop will consist of two sessions. The first session will feature a keynote paper on the current situation and context of education (particularly primary education) in refugee and fragile settings in Africa, focusing on the challenges and opportunities for quality teaching and learning. In the second session, the participants will engage in a group discussion to dialogue on the challenge, identify best practices and generate new ideas on how to improve equitable access to quality education for refugees and IDPs in fragile contexts with a focus on research initiatives that can inform practice.

The expected outcomes of this workshop are:

  1. To gather the views of literacy experts on context-specific approaches to quality teaching and learning materials with a focus on gender equality and inclusion in educational programming for refugees and IDPs in fragile African contexts.
  2. To contribute to the ongoing dialogue on research into quality education in fragile contexts and promote evidence-based decision-making in educational programming for refugees and IDPs in Africa.
  3. To contribute to the development and refining of TLFC research agenda.

Keywords: Quality teaching and Learning; Gender Responsive Education, Inclusive Education, Refugee Settlements; Fragile Contexts.

Back To Top