INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
TEHRAN - Since launching in 2021, the UNESCO Afghan Teacher Training Program has made significant progress in fostering a brighter future
for displaced Afghan teachers and students
Supported by the Government of Japan and UNICEF Iran, and in collaboration with the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO and the
Universities of Tehran, and Kharazmi, this initiative is equipping Afghan refugee teachers in the Islamic Republic of Iran with the
its first phase in 2022, and upcoming phases in 2023, the program has enabled approximately 500 Afghan women refugee teachers in Iran to
quality learning for the displaced Afghan children living in Iran and to ensure that their education continues until they can return to
them to overcome the challenges of displacement and adapting to a new environment
provided by these trained teachers will indirectly benefit approximately 9,000 primary school students in Iran.Sharing skills and
Sokhan, a former chemistry teacher and school principal in Afghanistan, expressed her gratitude during a phone call to UNESCO
Sokhan emphasized that the most valuable aspect of the initiative was the opportunity for teachers to share their experiences and knowledge
the practical lessons from their extensive experience in the field of education.Reflecting on the impact of the program, Ms
Armed with this new knowledge, Ms
Alami was able to establish deeper connections with her students and provide more effective support to those affected by displacement, both
physically and mentally.Vision for the futureA core aspect of the program is to empower teachers and gradually transform them into advocates
for improved teaching methods
Follow-up courses are planned to focus on vital areas such as mental health, social-emotional learning, psychological support, and overall
well-being.Trained teachers will play a pivotal role in educating out-of-school children while also serving as local facilitators within the
With their close ties with the community and their advanced education, these teachers will become invaluable resources for addressing the
diverse needs of their communities.Refugees in IranFor over four decades, Iran has been hosting one of the largest and most protracted
refugee situations in the world and has provided asylum to refugees, mostly from Afghanistan.The recent fast-paced turn of events in
Afghanistan has the potential to create additional population movements; internally displacing families and potentially driving them to
neighboring countries to seek refuge.Iran is home to over 800,000 registered refugees and some 2.6 million undocumented Afghans
Today, more than 500,000 Afghan children- including undocumented Afghans and those who have newly arrived in Iran are benefitting from
November 2022.The best solution and the most stable support system for refugees is that have access to schools and education just like
Iranian nationals, she stated, IRNA reported.Iran has taken effective and continuous measures to include all refugees, and the UNHCR also
declares its readiness to fulfill its obligations, she noted.In the provision of educational services, there are different aspects, she
said, adding, school construction, equipping schools, providing teachers and human resources, and providing quality educational services are
the main and important work done by the Ministry of Education.There are many needs in the field of education, but in the last 10 years, the
High Commissioner for Refugees has built only 95 schools in Iran, but the need is definitely more than this, she also said.In June 2022,
years have been commendable to refugees, and in the past year, after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, has reached its peak.Iran has so
far been able to provide decent services to refugees in the fields of health, livelihood, and vocational training in cooperation with UNHCR,
she noted.The Ministry of Interior has announced to the Ministry of Education a list of 200,000 Afghan children who have the conditions to
comprehensive program for the protection of refugee children is encouraging.Making investments in programs and services to better care for
and support children affected by migration and asylum will reduce costs in the future, he added.Emphasizing the important role of
non-governmental organizations in supporting refugee and immigrant children and teenagers, Nandy expressed hope that holding educational
workshops will lead to the promotion of children's rights and justice for children.Over 670,000 students of Afghan nationals are studying in
Iran, and the cost of educating these students is more than $352 million, IRNA reported.However, international organizations have paid less
than 3.9 percent of the cost of education for Afghan students in Iran in the last two years.Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah
Seyyed Ali Khamenei issued a decree in May 2015 that allows all foreign nationals, even those who have no identification and are living in
Iran illegally, to attend schools in the country
educational opportunities for Afghan students.MG
