“Leave Your Stress at the School Gate:” Exploring Teacher Well-Being in Garissa and Turkana Refugee Communities in Kenya

• In Event: Teachers at the Frontline: Identity, Well-Being, and Professional Practice

Proposal

“Leave Your Stress at the School Gate:” Exploring Teacher Well-Being in Garissa and Turkana Refugee Communities in Kenya

Lydia Namatende-Sakwa (PhD)
Patricia Wekulo (PhD)
Moses Ngware PhD

African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
Save the Children International, Nairobi, Kenya
International Rescue Committee, Nairobi, Kenya
Abstract
Background
Globally, 43.4 million people live as refugees and asylum seekers, 40% are school-aged children (UNHCR, 2024). Teachers in fragile contexts foster safe learning spaces but face poor working conditions, insecurity, and limited support (Frisoli & Smiley, 2018; McCallum et al., 2017). Yet teacher well-being is overlooked, though essential for inclusive classrooms that build social cohesion and peace. This study examined refugee and host community teachers’ well-being in Kenya to inform pathways that advance peace education in fragile contexts.
Context of the Study
Kenya hosts over 616,000 refugees, mostly children from Somalia, South Sudan, DRC, and Ethiopia, living in Turkana and Garissa, under resource-constrained conditions (UNHCR, 2025). Despite policy commitments, refugee teachers face overcrowded classrooms, poor infrastructure, low pay, and limited training—issues that disproportionately affect women and undermine educational equity. Strengthening teacher well-being and inclusion is central to advancing refugee education and equity.
Purpose of the Study
This study aimed to establish the status of teacher well-being within refugee contexts in Garissa and Turkana counties, to inform policies and interventions that strengthen teacher well-being in these contexts.
Objectives of the Study
i) Assess the status of teacher well-being and how it varies by gender and other demographic characteristics in refugee camp and host community schools in Turkana and Garissa.
iii) Identify mechanisms, if any, at the individual (e.g. coping strategies), school and community-level for supporting the well-being of teachers in refugee camp and host community schools in Turkana and Garissa.
iii) Assess the extent teachers in refugee camps and host community schools in Turkana and Garissa feel prepared to support teacher and learner well-being.
A Conceptual Framework for Teacher Well-being
This study applied Falk et al.’s (2019) teacher well-being framework, grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s socio-ecological model, to analyze protective and risk factors. Focusing on self-efficacy, stress, satisfaction, and socio-emotional competence, it highlighted well-being as essential to equitable education and peacebuilding in crisis-affected contexts like Kenya.
Population and Sampling
• We purposively sampled 12 schools representing varied characteristics including affluence, ownership, rating, location, gender composition.
• The sample comprised 98: 78 teachers, 12 heads, and 8 policy actors.
Methods of Data Collection
• In depth interviews-18 teachers
• 4 FGDs-36 female teachers
• 4 FGDs-24 male teachers
• KIIs-12 heads of institutions
• KIIs-8 policy actors
Qualitative Data Analysis
Qualitative data from IDIs, KIIs, and FGDs were transcribed, coded in NVivo, and thematically analyzed—guided by literature and interpretation—to generate themes on teacher well-being in Garissa and Turkana.
Trustworthiness and Credibility
We built trust through prolonged engagement, used triangulation, engaged experts for peer debriefing, and provided thick description to ensure credibility, validation, and transferability.
Ethical Considerations
The study received ethical approvals, secured informed consent, ensured voluntary participation, provided transparent incentives, psychosocial referrals, and safeguarded data through encryption, restricted access, de-identification, and secure destruction after five years.
Gender Equity and Inclusion Considerations
The project applied an intersectional lens, integrating gender, equity, and inclusion to ensure diversity, mitigate risks, use bias-free language, and pursue transformative outcomes.
Findings of the Study
Teacher well-being in refugee contexts, central to nurturing peace education, is strained by overcrowded classes of 70–80 learners, compounded by learners’ diverse needs, language barriers, and the absence of adequate classrooms, often forcing instruction in semi-permanent structures. Negative parental attitudes, coupled with disrespect for teachers, further strain relationships with learners. Low pay, scarce promotion opportunities, temporary contracts, inadequate training, and limited resources for the competence-based curriculum worsen it. The encampment policy restricts teacher mobility, denying them professional growth and networking opportunities. These challenges make it difficult for teachers to meet their basic needs or find fulfillment in their roles.
Female teachers face additional burdens such as shared sanitary facilities, sexual harassment, exclusion from decision-making, balancing heavy domestic responsibilities, lack of maternity support, and insecurity—including threats from older learners and risks during commuting—added to their burdens. Training opportunities were often distributed through favoritism that privileged male teachers, leaving women with limited chances for growth and progression. Female teachers also faced restrictions around dressing in Muslim communities, frustrating their autonomy. While women bore the brunt of family and gender-related challenges, male teachers were most strained by financial responsibilities, leading some into debt or substance abuse, highlighting gender-differentiated risks to teacher well-being.
Consequently, many teachers—particularly women—have contemplated leaving the profession, though some remain due to financial necessity, underscoring the urgent need for interventions that strengthen teacher well-being, resilience, and retention in refugee contexts.
The phrase “leave your stress at the school gate” reflects the absence of mental health support for teachers. With limited training and vague policy guidance, teachers rely on personal coping strategies like friendships, co-curricular activities, and prayers.
Implications and Recommendations
The findings have implications for policy, practice, and research. Teacher well-being in refugee contexts is undermined by systemic barriers—large classes, poor infrastructure, scarce resources, insecure contracts, and low pay. Addressing this requires investment in recruitment, remuneration, professional development, and facilities. Female teachers face unique stressors—lack of private sanitation, harassment, exclusion from leadership, caregiving burdens, and cultural restrictions—highlighting the urgency of gender-responsive policies. The absence of mental health support underscores the need for counseling services, training, and leadership accountability. Finally, restrictive encampment policies limit professional growth. Strengthening teacher well-being is thus critical for education and peacebuilding in refugee settings.
Acknowledgement: The study is conducted by TeachWell Voices project led by Save the Children International and TeachWell Unlocking Playful Learning project led by International Rescue Committee, in collaboration with African Population and Health Research Center, Lutheran World Federation, Research Triangle International, Film Aid Kenya, and Ministry of Education.

Authors

• Lydia Namatende-Sakwa, African Population and Health Reserach Center, Nairobi

• Moses Ngware, African Population And Health Research Center

• Patricia K Kitsao-Wekulo, African Population and Health Research Center