Learning amid War and Crisis

Will Distance Learning Lessen the Negative Impact of War onRefugees’ Learning Loss in Africa?

Abstract

In today’s international governance systems, safe custody of refugees through the provision of humanitarian teaching services underlies the functioning of the international system. Evidence continues to highlight the roles of state and non-state actors in this direction. Governments in different parts of the world are state actors, primarily saddled with the safe custody of refugees through safety camps. Expected to be included in this humanitarian aid is the continuing education of refugees through access to an effective, quality, and conducive learning environment. This is offered through a combination of educational institutions that comprise the university, college, religious, and non-governmental bodies. Among these institutions, the university systems are the leading educational institutions with activities that link host countries with refugees. They are the major, most discernable, and important [and] the gatekeeper of the educational system’ and ‘the most symbolic formal educational system, with normative expectations of teaching duties to both citizens and refugees. However, the recurrent armed conflicts in Africa have made the education of refugees a critical problem for many host countries, especially developed countries, due to the unending inflows of refugees. This problem became even worse in conflict-affected African countries as COVID-19 struck, increasing Africa’s refugee index. This displacement raises serious concerns about refugee learning loss, access to learning, and learning quality and quantity in host countries. Evidence shows that most of the host countries lack the capacity to offer effective learning to refugees due to language, religion, and environmental constraints. While how refugees in host countries can get access to effective, affordable learning in host countries has received more attention, evidence is scanty on the learning channels or models to use, who is gaining or losing customers, and why? Drawing on qualitative methods, this article seeks to expand knowledge on how African countries can limit refugee learning loss through distance learning.