Call for contributions: Pacific regional report on quality teachers for rural, remote and island schools

The UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (UNESCO INRULED) and the University of Goroka (UoG), Papua New Guinea, are inviting teacher education institutions and education partners across Pacific Island countries to contribute to a new regional report, Quality Teachers for Rural, Remote and Island Schools.

The report aims to document the experiences, challenges, innovations and priorities shaping the teaching profession across the Pacific, with particular attention to rural, remote and island contexts. It will examine how education systems can better prepare, support and retain qualified teachers in settings affected by geographic isolation, resource constraints, professional isolation and other context-specific challenges.

The initiative builds on the first China-Pacific Teacher Education Forum, held in Goroka in July 2025. The final report is expected to be launched during the China-Pacific Teacher Education Forum in 2027.
 

A regional perspective on teacher policy

Guided by UNESCO’s Teacher Policy Development Guide, the report will examine key dimensions of teacher policy, including recruitment and retention, initial and continuing teacher education, deployment, career structures, working conditions, remuneration, teacher standards, accountability and school governance.

Contributors are also encouraged to address cross-cutting issues relevant to Pacific contexts, including community engagement, cultural and linguistic diversity, equity, digital technologies and the realities of teaching in rural, remote and island communities.
 

How to contribute

Teacher education institutions and other education partners across Pacific Island countries are invited to contribute through one or both of the following:

• System-level country reports providing an overview of the national education system and its cultural and geographic context, and examining relevant teacher policies, programmes and challenges, including differences between urban, rural and remote settings.
• Thematic case studies highlighting a specific innovation, challenge or successful approach related to teachers and their work. Topics may include teacher education, professional support and retention, innovative pedagogies, equity, community engagement or approaches adapted to rural and remote contexts.

Together, these contributions will bring policy evidence and practitioner perspectives into the regional analysis and help inform practical recommendations for policymakers, teacher education institutions and development partners.
 

Support for contributors

Participating institutions will receive writing templates and editorial guidance, as well as opportunities to take part in regional consultations and virtual workshops. Supporting materials will include templates for country reports and thematic case studies and guidance on ethics, consent and permissions. All participating institutions and authors will be formally acknowledged in the final publication.
 

Express your interest

Teacher education institutions and education partners interested in contributing are invited to contact Ms Tianyi Liu, Programme Coordinator, UNESCO INRULED, at liuty[at]inruled.org.