The Journal on Education in Emergencies (JEiE) has published volume 10, Number 1 which samples the broad range of themes, contexts, disciplinary perspectives, and methodological approaches that represent research and practice in the field of education in emergencies. The articles in this issue of JEiE present evidence that underscores the need for education systems that are flexible, inclusive, and responsive to the social, cultural, and political conditions in which they operate.

JEiE Volume 10, Number 1 includes five research articles, two field notes, and three book reviews, covering topics related to Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and Iraq. It offers cutting-edge scholarly and applied research conducted by teams of academics, practitioners, advocates, and policymakers who live and work among diverse populations in an array of settings, including Lebanon and Palestine. These materials explore questions about displacement, identity, and the right to belong, and reviews opportunities and challenges of refining and scaling-up play-based learning for refugee and host communities in several countries including Lebanon. The rigorous research and innovative field notes in this issue join debates over the agency, power, rights, (in) visibility, and deservingness of vulnerable, marginalized, and crisis-affected students and their communities.

Regarding Lebanon, the research article, “Navigating Remote Early Childhood Education in Hard-to Access Settings: A Qualitative Study of Caregivers’ and Teachers’ Experiences in Lebanon,” extends the notion of the vital role parents, caregivers, and teachers play in realizing the potential of play-based learning. The study concludes the following findings:

1. The feasibility of implementing remote early childhood programs in logistically challenging environments, as caregivers and teachers demonstrated a significant ability to adopt to economic and social challenges.
2. A fundamental shift in participants’ perceptions, evidenced by caregivers’ changing attitudes toward play- based learning and teachers’ growing confidence in the effectiveness of remote education.
3. The program’s effectiveness was driven by key elements such as home-based educational tools and interactive media content, which played a pivotal role in achieving its goals, despite challenges like children’s excessive use of smartphones.
4. Future recommendations emphasize the need to design flexible programs that include family involvement, with a focus on studying long-term impacts to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of such programs in emergency contexts.

Furthermore, the field notes section begins with “Cultural Heritage and Education: A Place-Based Educational Project in Jericho, Palestine,” in which the researcher emphasizes the importance of children’s awareness of their cultural heritage in shaping their identity, particularly in conflict-affected areas. As for the book reviews, they include a review of the book “Citizen Identity Formation of Domestic Students and Syrian Refugee Youth in Jordan: Centering Student Voice and Arab Islamic Ontologies”.

According to JEiE, the authors who contributed to this issue break new ground in our understanding of identity, belonging, and access to education. They explore the opportunities and challenges of refining and scaling play-based learning for refugee and host communities. They critically reflect on initiatives for supporting teacher wellbeing, training, and professionalization. And they share insights into how displacement, migration, and resettlement affect education experiences worldwide.