Educators and relief workers: teachers during an emergency

Research purpose and questions

Education is a fundamental human right (United Nations, 1948), and every educational emergency should lead to the establishment of an Education in Emergency (EiE) programme. However, implementing EiE programmes is a complex challenge (UNHCR, 2021) that requires seamless coordination among multiple organisations and clear role expectations. These networks play a vital role in advancing the Education 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4), which focuses on creating education systems that are resilient and adaptable to crises (United Nations, 2015).

Teachers are at the heart of EiE implementation and hence understanding their specific responsibilities and the challenges that they encounter is essential. Unfortunately, there is limited knowledge of the full range of tasks that teachers in India undertake during emergencies or how they are prepared to handle such circumstances. This gap in understanding forms the basis of this research, which seeks to address three key questions:

1. What are the job demands faced by teachers working in emergencies?

2. What resources are made available to support them in these unique situations?

3. What can we implement from comparative contexts to develop/enhance EiE programmes?

Desk research suggests a gap between understanding the specific tasks and duties of teachers and the available policy guidance for their fulfilment. Moreover, a comprehensive EiE plan is still missing in India.

Professional well-being within a job demand-resource model through a social pedagogical lens in the education in emergencies context

In emergency contexts, teachers assume dual roles: they maintain academic continuity while also providing emotional and logistical support to students and their communities which aligns with the key tenets of social pedagogy. Social pedagogy highlights the essential connection between care and education in the simplest terms. It promotes a comprehensive approach, known as the ‘head, heart, and hands’ model, which involves intellectual engagement, emotional connection and practical action (Higgins, 2011; Sipos et al., 2008) by a teacher with an individual and, thus, with the community at large. So, when trying to understand the positionality of a teacher during emergencies, social pedagogy offers a seamless theoretical foundation, integrating care, education and social action (Hämäläinen, 2003). This dual responsibility of a teacher highlights the challenges inherent in managing complex roles during crises (Mendenhall et al., 2018; Sarangapani et al., 2021) and thus the job demand-resource (JD-R) model (Demerouti et al., 2001) provides a practical perspective to explore how the balance between job demands and resources affects teachers’ professional well-being and their ability to have an impact as social pedagogues (Smith, 2012). The JD-R model complements social pedagogy by differentiating between job demands and job resources. On the one hand, job demands, such as heavy workloads, prolonged working hours and the emotional toll of teaching in crisis situations, consume significant effort and, if unbalanced, lead to energy depletion and stress. On the other hand, job resources, including supportive leadership, access to training and collaborative work environments, act as buffers that enhance motivation and reduce strain. Furthermore, the quality of the teachers’ impact as social pedagogues is connected to their professional well-being. Higgins (2011) highlights the emotional labour required of teachers, describing the moral and phenomenological nature of their work. Teachers are expected to remain adaptable, demonstrate continuous attention and improvise effectively, even in the most challenging circumstances. However, when job demands become overwhelming and resources are insufficient, a vicious cycle can emerge. This cycle often manifests as emotional exhaustion, diminished self-efficacy and reduced job satisfaction, which further amplifies demands and undermines performance (Keller et al., 2014; Lavy and Eshet, 2018). Conversely, access to strong resources can enable teachers to engage in job crafting – a process of proactively reshaping their roles to align with personal strengths, motivations and goals. This practice has the potential to enhance their professional well-being by mitigating the negative effects of demands, and it aligns closely with social pedagogy’s emphasis on self-determination and agency. By empowering teachers to address both their own needs and those of their students, job crafting becomes an essential tool for sustaining professional well-being (Bakker and Demerouti, 2018). Thus, the JD-R model and social pedagogy offer a synergistic framework for supporting teachers’ professional well-being and impact in emergencies, as illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1

Interconnectedness between the dual role of teachers during emergencies, the associated job demand-resource and their professional well-being 

Teachers’ professional well-being can be shaped by several interrelated factors that may include but are not limited to:

• situated factors such as the physical and social environment of the school, which influences daily experiences and interactions

• professional factors such as institutional and state norms, expectations and responsibilities that define teachers’ dual roles as educators and caregivers

• personal factors such as coping mechanisms, family responsibilities, ability for job crafting and personal resilience (Day et al., 2006), all of which significantly affect their quality of work as social pedagogues.

Thus, social pedagogy offers a valuable framework for Indian teachers to address the challenges that they face in the education system. With its focus on holistic development, relational approaches and fostering well-being, social pedagogy recognises the importance of considering systemic, community and individual factors. It views education as a means of empowerment and inclusion, making it particularly relevant in contexts of inequality, crisis and limited resources.

Research method and settings

The study was conducted via semi-structured interviews in a virtual setting during the Covid-19 pandemic, in which teachers were performing emergency-related duties as well as their teaching (and related) duties.

Findings

When asked about their experiences at work during an EiE situation, the teachers discussed the nature of work and complications arising from a lack of adequate infrastructure and relevant training:

I have not seen many of my kids since the school closed … I work with very young children whom I was instructing in reading and writing before the school closed. Occasionally, when children come to collect coupons with their caregivers, I write work in their notebooks so they may practise at home. The government has launched an app called Deeksha, and we are expected to teach using it, but several of my students in my class do not have smartphones or access to Wi-Fi. What good is an app if kids cannot access it? Should not the government, which distributes books yearly, partner with some organisation and provide personal phones instead? Also, not all teachers can use phones to teach effectively. I sometimes have to help the older teachers and explain how to use apps.

(Tara)

I teach English in high school, and it has been challenging since the government imposed the CBSE course. Our pupils come from a low-income family (indicating that they have no access to English speakers at home). I teach them English via Hindi. Now, when pupils are absent from school, it makes the whole process even more difficult.

(Neesa)

On being questioned about collaborative practices that may assist them in this circumstance, Neesa responded, ‘Well, I am the senior teacher. There is another teacher, but she is also B.Ed. [indicating she is professionally qualified], so she does not require my assistance. When she seeks instruction from me, I assist her’. About the training, she stated, ‘At the beginning [referring to the time when the government altered the curriculum], there was one training that I attended but nothing after that’.

Along with their teaching responsibilities, both teachers were questioned about their non-teaching duties. Neesa stated:

Because I work with older children, at present, I have slightly fewer obligations of such nature. We [referring to secondary school teachers] are teaching in two shifts because of the new government guidelines on social distancing. Half of the class [relating to the classes she teaches] have not attended school this year. I am not sure how to contact many of them because the [phone] numbers they supplied are invalid. As a senior teacher at the school, I also assist with administrative duties, such as monitoring the school when the principal is away. I compile annual task lists and have allocated students to their shifts this year.

Tara replied to the same question:

In my situation, teaching constitutes less than a tenth of my work. Most of my time is spent locating and meeting with caregivers since I distribute midday-meal and ration coupons to them. I am also responsible for the distribution of books and bags. Occasionally, caregivers do not have the necessary paperwork, [photo identification and bank-related documents that caregivers must produce to obtain aid], and I am tasked with advising them on how to obtain them. I enter all of this [transactional data] into the register and provide reasons for instances when a caregiver did not appear to gather them [the aid material]. I was invigilating the teachers entrance test (TET) test on Sunday, which means I have been working non-stop for the whole week.

When questioned about the difficulties they face, the assistance they get and their professional well-being, Tara said:

The pupils at our school come from low socio-economic homes, and their caregivers are illiterate. I have a difficult time communicating with them and am always explaining all the procedures to them [referring to opening bank accounts, getting photo ID cards, steps to collect the aid etc.]. The government requires them to produce documentation that they do not possess, and obtaining them at this point is a major burden. I believe it would be much easier if they simply gave them cash. Things would go more quickly. Consider how difficult it is for a low-wage worker to return to school frequently for these items. Many lack the funds necessary for printouts. Many caregivers have returned to their villages because of a lack of employment opportunities in the town [referring to internal migrants]. How am I to locate them now? After my mother’s death, when I go home I also have to cook and do other things [referring to household chores]. Even at home, I am constantly on edge about maintaining these registers and contacting caregivers who have failed to pick up their coupons.

Neesa stated, ‘Working two shifts a day is quite exhausting. Until the very end of last year, we did not know if the government would stop year-end exams or not, and so we were attempting to complete the curriculum by all means necessary. I am dissatisfied with what I accomplished and how I accomplished it’.

Both unanimously underlined the importance of policymakers hearing teachers’ voices when structuring EiE programmes, inclusive of the curriculum, to understand what support they require. Tara stated:

Why are they not enquiring how things should be done? We operate on the ground and can provide them with valuable insights into what will work and what will not. There is no point of contact inside the government who will listen to our issue. The principal lays out the expectations and the type of reporting that is expected after each meeting.

Neesa noted, ‘I have heard teachers are contacted, but these teachers are primarily from towns surrounding the capital city … But, there is a great deal of variation [in demands] between villages and towns near the capital and those located further away’.

Concerned about excessive work hours, they emphasised once again that the school’s hours were unduly long and that working six days a week in such settings left them exhausted.

Limitations

While the findings of this small-scale, qualitative case study are not generalisable (Yin, 2006), the value of this study lies in its reflection, which further paves the way for suggestions from comparative settings.

The exclusive use of virtual interviews could come across as a limitation, too. However, it should be remembered that strict social distancing rules during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic necessitated this method, and virtual interviews are not necessarily limiting as they offer the spontaneity of face-to-face conversations while allowing respondents to express themselves freely (Chen and Hinton, 1999). Sometimes online settings can also empower reserved individuals to share their insights confidently, fostering richer discussions (Rheingold, 1994).

The small scale is also due to the fact that convincing teachers to share their struggles during the crisis was challenging. Many declined to participate, overwhelmed by the demands of their dual roles and the limited time available amid the emergency. Despite these constraints, the study maintained its integrity. Furthermore, since this research delved into the dynamic nature of emergencies, it relied more on participants’ perceptions and emotions rather than external social contexts, making a small sample size less problematic (Crouch and McKenzie, 2006).

Summary of findings

The research addressed three primary questions, two of which were:

• What are the job demands faced by teachers working in emergencies?

• What resources are made available to support them in these unique situations?

In summary, teachers in emergency settings undertake a dual role encompassing various responsibilities and they also function as social pedagogues for both the students and their families. First, they continue teaching-learning, adapting their pedagogical skills to suit the specific emergency. In addition, they acquire and upgrade other relevant skills required for virtual or app-based instruction. They are expected to distribute essential supplies such as ration coupons, money coupons for midday meals, textbooks and school bags to their students. They are also responsible for maintaining accurate data records, including students’ and caregivers’ national identification numbers (Aadhaar cards), contact information, addresses, bank account details and Indian financial system (IFS) code. (This 11-digit alphanumeric code identifies a specific bank branch in India. IFSC codes are used to facilitate electronic fund transfers between bank accounts similar to IBAN in the West.) Furthermore, teachers actively communicate with caregivers, providing guidance on acquiring Aadhaar cards, setting up bank accounts, monitoring financial records and obtaining IFSC codes, among other necessary steps. They proactively inform caregivers about government programmes and eligibility requirements through telephone calls. Additionally, teachers face the challenge of locating caregivers who have relocated to their ancestral villages or have limited contact information. They may be assigned election-related responsibilities and sometimes supervise external examinations on weekends, if applicable. Importantly, teachers working in emergencies are expected to make themselves available beyond regular working hours to address the evolving needs of their students and communities through phone calls and WhatsApp.

Conclusion

India can effectively address the challenges faced by its teachers during emergencies by embracing the principles of social pedagogy. This approach empowers teachers to thrive as holistic educators, while also tackling systemic, community and personal obstacles. To achieve this, India must commit to inclusive policymaking, develop a robust infrastructure and make sustained investments in teacher education and well-being. By drawing from experiences worldwide, the recommendations presented here offer pathways towards building a resilient and inclusive education system that acknowledges teachers as central agents of social change. It is crucial to bridge the gap between international best practices and local realities in order to turn this vision into reality.

Research ethics statement

The author conducted the research reported in this article in accordance with European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity standards.

Consent for publication statement

The author declares that research participants’ informed consent to publication of findings – including photos, videos and any personal or identifiable information – was secured prior to publication.

Conflicts of interest statement

The author declares no conflict of interest with this work. All efforts to sufficiently anonymise the author during peer review of this article have been made. The author declares no further conflicts with this article.