We are living in a time of convergent crises: the global pandemic, the climate crisis, the struggle for racial justice, the polarization of societies, and a global learning crisis. Alongside these crises the Fourth Industrial Revolution is changing the very nature of work and economies around the world which means that the workforce of tomorrow will require new skills and unprecedented nimbleness. These different challenges will affect all learners but will have a disproportionate impact in the context of education in displacement (EiD) where learners are already facing significant challenges.
Many conceptual frameworks and processes of research into quality learning are still largely driven by global-level, mainly Western actors and normative frameworks, not by local actors in context. This new network will connect stakeholders at all levels – international donors, intergovernmental agencies, national governments and local implementing organizations – to support and sustain increased demand for and commitment to greater inclusion of Psychosocial Support and Social and Emotional Learning (PSS/SEL) in education to achieve holistic learning outcomes for displaced learners.
This new network is part of Porticus’ All Eyes on Learning Program. AEoL focuses on strengthening collaborative action, networking, learning and advocacy amongst influential actors working on the delivery of educational services to children and young people caught up in displacement and crisis.
Connecting diverse stakeholders, who in turn have connections to other networks, will help advocate for and amplify the call for quality education and whole child development for some of the most vulnerable children and students in the world.
Displacement ruptures the social fabric of childhood, removing children from their communities and established sources of support. In many contexts education is one of the only systems of support that remains in their lives and is often the system that allows for repeated engagement with an adult they can trust.
The education in displacement (EiD) sector has historically been heavily focused on access to and enrolment in education, with less attention to the quality of that education or the learning outcomes. Access is still a problem, but quality education is imperative. While there is no universally agreed upon (nor concise) definition for quality learning in EiD contexts as “quality learning” is complex, multidimensional, and context specific, there is consensus around the characteristics of quality learning in EiD: it should be not only academic but also holistic, and prepare the learner for their future desired and real prospects.
Humans handle change better when they have the necessary psychosocial support around them, and have developed the relevant socio-emotional skills to navigate change and uncertainty. Displaced learners, torn from their communities and unsure of the future, have an urgent need for this support but also much to teach us about how to support resiliency and agency. Thus, responding to the needs of displaced students offers immense opportunity to those aiming to strengthen education systems through integrating these competencies, leading to higher quality education for all learners.
All children need skills and mindsets that will help them learn throughout life and navigate all manner of uncertainties from an early age – being literate is not enough if they cannot calm rough emotions, demonstrate capacity for such traits as empathy and forgiveness, or remain focused on task completion. In contexts where students have endured or are experiencing traumatic experiences, psychosocial support (PSS) can enable children “to learn more readily and participate more fully in educational opportunities”, and a growing body of evidence shows that social and emotional learning (SEL) can help young people develop greater resilience.
PSS/SEL approaches are essential for the wellbeing and mental health of young people, especially those in conflict and crisis contexts. They can help young people, especially displaced students, acquire the skills needed to thrive amidst uncertainty and rapid technological and societal change and to shape new jobs and career pathways. SEL skills can also help communities and populations grapple with complex change and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Education reform that is focused on whole child development within education systems is thus a necessary and legitimate means to tackle our current complex and interconnected crises. The next generations – including and especially those who have been displaced by these crises and conflicts – will need to develop a breath of skills, in order to be able to build a fairer society, fight inequality, tackle the climate crisis, and face the learning challenges during and beyond the pandemic.
The network has three main areas of geographic focus – Latin America, East Africa and the Middle East; some members also bring more global perspectives. This new network takes an ecosystem approach and connects reform-minded policymakers, funders and education providers to work, learn and innovate together, while developing sustainable education reform that will benefit students and communities alike.
The network consists of those working at both global and local levels, in countries around the world. The intention with this approach is to avoid potential pitfalls around the so-called “global echo chamber” where only the same people have the chance to speak with another. It also creates new channels for knowledge to flow from the local level to the global, creating the best chance of long-lasting change to happen.
Alongside the network there is also a series of open, online education conferences that create multiple opportunities to engage across the EiD sector and with other related sectors such as health and nutrition.
The current convergence of crises has put the spotlight on systemic risks affecting work, education, and next-generation life chances, and calls for solutions that are also focused on systemic shifts and transformation. It is becoming imperative to support comprehensive education reform in multiple countries around a holistic agenda focused on a range of skills and competencies, and this can only be done if policymakers and other key stakeholders around them work together, share insights, and exchange approaches and solutions. The need is particularly acute for displaced learners because of their heightened vulnerability and greater need for adaptable skills and competencies.
For several years, increasing numbers of policymakers have been talking publicly about the need to equip learners for contemporary and future challenges. A growing body of evidence shows that social and emotional learning (SEL) can not only help young people acquire the skills to thrive amidst rapid technological change and shape new jobs and career pathways but also improve cognitive skills, build resilience, foster empathy, improve life outcomes, and develop the creative skills essential for transforming one’s understanding of, or relationship to, the world, thus helping to build healthier and more peaceful societies. This kind of education reform is fundamental to helping humanity develop new mental models that will help us face and overcome these convergent crises.