Cairo Workshop: Intensive Training Programme for Gazan Educators, 20 April 2026

On 20 April 2026, we opened the first day of our three-day intensive training programme in Cairo, bringing together displaced Gazan teachers currently based in Cairo for in-person participation, alongside teachers joining online from inside Gaza, for a hybrid day of training focused on trauma-informed pedagogy and adaptive teaching. The three-day training forms part of our wider Gaza Education Programme and builds on our pilot training programme held last August, as well as a series of online seminars delivered in advance of the workshop.

The training, facilitated by Forward Thinking, is being delivered by Queen’s University Belfast and St Mary’s University College Belfast, with logistical coordination from the Shaf Centre in Cairo. Over three days, the programme will cover trauma-informed pedagogy, adaptive teaching, and online teaching and learning tools, while also creating space to co-design future collaboration and future training opportunities.

The programme creates a shared space for professional development and the exchange of practice. It has been designed to respond directly to the priorities of the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Ramallah, participants’ feedback, and the evolving educational needs of Gazan students.

Day one focused on trauma-informed pedagogy, including practical work on helping children with emotional regulation, with strategies intended to support both pupils and teachers.

Afternoon sessions revisited material from the earlier webinars and explored how trauma-informed approaches can be applied to lesson planning and teaching delivery. Participants shared examples from their own practice and took part in collaborative activities designed to support lesson development and teacher reflection in both in-person and online settings.

Educators share their teaching experiences.