Teaching and researching in displacement settings
“I’m motivated, enthusiastic, interested and cheerful about my job, although there are many challenges and obstacles that always discourage me.”
My name is Haidar Abakar Fedail. I have lived in Iridimi refugees settlement three since 2019 . I’m a secondary school biology teacher. In addition to that, I’m a university graduate, in medical laboratory science. I also run a medical laboratory after school.
I want to tell you about my experience at school. Let me tell you first about my feelings and motivations. I’m motivated, enthusiastic, interested and cheerful about my job, although there are many challenges and obstacles that always discourage me.
The working conditions are very hard and indescribable when compared with teaching in other countries. Right now in Iridimi [refugee settlement], teachers are on strike for four days following frequent, prolonged protests. Teachers were disappointed that their demands went unfulfilled. Our problems include lack of support, delayed and interrupted contracts, and insufficient salaries.
We are having a terrible dispute and sharp discussions and negotiations with educational authorities in the location because they are not going to pay teachers for three months during their holiday . According to the latest information issued by UNHCR and JRS, refugee teachers in refugee settlements will not be paid during the coming summer holiday.
There’s also other challenges which affect teachers, such as lack of salary, wellbeing, inclusion and agency.
This Think Piece is part of a series, featuring 18 refugee teachers from Chad, Uganda and Zambia. You can read the full publication here.
The contributors are peer researchers on a GERE study exploring refugee teacher inclusion, agency, and wellbeing. Read more about the study here.
Funding
This work is supported by the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange, a joint endeavour with the International Development Research Centre, Canada. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of IDRC or its Board of Governors.
