These students are among the 30,000 children and adolescents who were displaced in Armenia between September and October 2023 following military hostilities. Most of them had to move with their parents within a few days and with minimum belongings, sometimes just a family photo.
Persisting trauma in the refugee community
“My son still refuses to buy a new bicycle, he told me he wants his old one back,” sharing this, a mother shed tears. After 7 months of displacement, despite great efforts from the government, schools and communities to integrate children in the education process, trauma persists, not only on children but also their parents.
Nvard works in School No. 33 in Yerevan as school psychologist, she shared some of the symptoms observed among children after their displacement: “there was a boy who kept eating small things like bread and cheese during classes due to his memory of hunger. The sound of helicopter is especially alarming for children, they immediately cover their ears when hearing loud sound.”
UNESCO supports training school psychologists in Armenia
To better help children with such symptoms, Nvard attended a training supported by UNESCO and facilitated by the Republican Pedagogical-Psychological Center. This training targets more than 600 school psychologists, which is 80% of all the school psychologists in Armenia.
“There has been a gap in the capacity of school psychologists”, shared Lucine, a trainer from RPPC, “as their previous professional training focused largely on dealing with children with special needs.” Attending this training, school psychologists like Nvard are learning practical skills for providing psychosocial support, such as identifying and categorizing emotions, as well as guiding breathing exercise and meditation.
The training curriculum was developed based on a needs assessment designed with UNESCO ‘s support and conducted among 2,000 children aged 6 to 18 and their teachers. Some of the results reveal significant gaps and needs in schools:
- Over 60% of surveyed children have constant and occasional problems with sleeping.
- Only 47% of teachers have sufficient knowledge to support children with trauma.
- Only 53 % of teachers are able to identify children and adolescence with mental health challenges and 56 % of teachers know where to refer them to.
Integrating psychosocial support in schools: for refugee children and the entire education community
Considering the challenges following displacement for both refugees and host communities, UNESCO integrates Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in schools for both displaced children and the broader education community.
For displaced children, this support helps them manage trauma and stress, fostering emotional resilience, academic success, and a sense of belonging. For the host community, it creates an inclusive, empathetic environment, improving school climate and student-teacher relationships. Overall, incorporating MHPSS strengthens educational outcomes and the social fabric of the entire community, paving the way for a more cohesive and supportive future.
From teachers to children and their future
Teachers play a significant role in creating a safe and positive learning environment for children. As part of UNESCO’s comprehensive support, upon successfully completing this training, the certified school psychologists will then train more than 1,800 teachers across Armenia who will be equipped with skills to address diverse student needs, reduces stigma, and enhances peer support networks for children to become compassionate and well-rounded individuals.
15-year-old Arsen is currently attending the 9th grade in School No. 169. He was displaced on 25 September 2023, and was enrolled in his new school in Armenia 2 days later. His teacher back home, Lilit, who has been teaching math for the past 28 years, also arrived in this school after displacement. When asked what his dream for the future is, Arsen said: “I want to grow up to be useful for my country.”
“These displaced children are resilient and strong. Even as an adult, I collapse sometimes, but the children will always comfort me,” said Lilit.
- How UNESCO supports MHPSS in Ukraine and Palestine
- UNESCO’s work in Education in Emergencies
