Building Educators’ Communication Skills
Improve Education Quality & Bring Children Back to School
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- العربية
The education system in Yemen is rapidly deteriorating under the weight of a prolonged humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Today, 3.2 million children are out of school. For many of them, poverty, displacement, or the need to work and support their families has cut short their education. At the same time, unpaid salaries and crumbling school facilities have forced many teachers to leave the profession.
This hinders children’s cognitive, cultural, and emotional development, limiting their prospects for a better future and further creates educational gaps, where foundational skills for children such as reading and mathematics widen. According to the Yemeni government data, 94.7 per cent of 10-year-olds in Yemen are unable to read or understand a simple text, an issue called learning poverty.[1]
[1] Humanitarian Needs & Response Plan (NHRP), 2025.
Communication is Key
To respond to the learning needs in Yemen, UNICEF engages with the education authorities to provide a wide scale of interventions including trainings for teachers. In August 2025, UNICEF with support from the Government of Japan held two training workshops for education workers in Al-Misrakh and Jabal Hebshi districts, Taiz Governorate, one of Yemen’s most conflict-affected regions. The aim was to strengthen connections between schools and families to help bring children back into the classroom.
“The training focused on improving our communication skills,” says Ms. Reda, a member of the parents and teachers' association at Al-Wahda School in Al-Ma’afer District. “This helps us understand children’s situations better, both at school and at home, and engage more effectively with their parents.”
In line with this, Ms. Ahlam, a volunteer teacher at Omar Ibn Al-Khattab School in Jabal Habashi District, adds, “During the workshop, we focused on the importance of preventing student dropouts, especially among girls. It was an excellent session that gave us valuable insights and tools to encourage children to return to school."
The workshop equipped educators with new strategies to reduce dropout rates and nurture students’ love of learning. “I learned how to attract students back to school and create a positive, motivating learning environment,” explains Ms. Reda.
Inspired by the workshop, participants developed plans to implement in their communities. For Ms. Reda, raising parents’ awareness is key. “My goal is to raise parents’ awareness of the importance of sending their children to school,” she points out. Additionally, she plans to encourage children by giving them small gifts like notebooks and drawing kits to spark their enthusiasm for learning.
Similarly, Mahfouz Ibrahim, a teacher at Al-Nidhal School, will reach out to families of children who have dropped out of school to better understand their reasons and raise their awareness of the importance of education. “Parents need to recognize that education is the cornerstone of the development and advancement of nations,” he says. “By educating their children today, parents are opening doors to brighter futures for both their families and their communities.” Beyond school walls, Mahfouz uses the mosque pulpit as a platform to raise awareness, urging parents to send their children back to school.
Facing Challenges with Hope and Action
In these two districts in Taiz governorate, schools are overwhelmed with overcrowded classrooms, damaged buildings, and a shortage of qualified teachers. The workshop’s focus on building communication skills among education professionals is a vital step toward overcoming these challenges. Educators are not just teachers, they are advocates and motivators, essential to bringing children back to school and creating a learning environment where children want to learn and grow.
In an appeal to parents, Ms. Reda says, “Do not let your children miss out on education. Do not rely on them for income at the cost of their future. Do not put them in situations that could harm their well-being.” She smiles as she concludes, “Education is their pathway to achieving dreams.”
As Yemen’s education crisis continues, efforts like these are a proof of the power of communication in reversing the tide.
