Pray for Students and Teachers

If you’d like to pray for students around the world, this guide will help – but we would suggest that you make it a bit more local and begin to intercede for the schools around you. 

If you can, look up a map of your neighbourhood and search for the schools in your area. You might like to print out the map and circle the schools, writing prayers on the paper as you work through this guide.

Pray for teachers 

If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 

(1 Peter 4:11 NIVUK) 

We’ll start by praying for teachers. Teachers set the tone of a school, and their ability to thrive in their positions sets up the students for their own success. 

You may want to look up the names of the headteachers at the schools that you are praying for, and spend some time praying for them by name. 

As you pray for teachers, here are some areas to focus on: 

• Mental health and wellbeing: pray that God protects teachers and their mental health – that they will be refreshed and restored, full of energy and joy. 
• Wisdom: pray that each teacher has the wisdom they need to teach and mentor each student in the school. Pray for God’s creativity and good ideas to fill them up. 
• Christian teachers: pray for the teachers who know Jesus – that they will be encouraged in their jobs and their faith, that they will recognise opportunities to show the love of God to the people around them. 
• Safeguarding and support: when there are students who are struggling and need more support, either at school or at home, pray that teachers would notice, care, and have the tools that they need to bring the right support to the situation. 
• Resources: pray that teachers have the resources they need to do the best possible job. 

Pray for students 

Start children off on the way they should go,
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it. 

Proverbs 22:6 NIVUK 

Bring to mind the faces and names of all of the student that you personally know – you may want to write their names on a piece of paper to refer to as you pray for them.

As you pray for students, here are some areas to focus on: 

• Peace: pray that school is a place of peace for all students. Pray for good relationships and a culture of kindness – that any bullying or inappropriate behaviour would be exposed and shut down, and that instead, strong friendships would grow. Pray for God’s peace to surround and protect every part of the campus. 
• Passion: pray that each student would find a subject or a topic that ignites their imagination and helps them to get excited about learning.
• Mental health: in an age where we are seeing high levels of anxiety and depression in young people, pray that students get the help and support they need to thrive. Pray that God connects each student with the people and the tools to build resilience and health.
• Meeting with God: pray that students have encounters with Jesus – through fellow students, through teachers, and through their lessons and activities.
• Potential: pray that students can realise their full potential, and that God helps them overcome any of the barriers to development that they may face. 

Pray for access to safe education 

Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me. 

Mark 9:37 NIVUK 

Not everyone can access education, and for many people, education they do have access to are not safe or equipped to give them the support they need. 

Let’s pray for each child to have access to safe education with the resources they need to thrive. As you pray, here are some areas to focus on: 

• Gender-based discrimination: around the world, girls face many challenges to accessing education. In some nations, only 36% of girls complete lower secondary school.1 (You can learn more about the challenges that some girls and women face in our guide to Praying for Women in Iran.) Pray for these barriers to be overcome. 
• Students with disabilities: pray that each student, no matter their accessibility needs, has all the support they need to grow. Pray for more resources to go into creating inclusive school environments where everyone can thrive. 
• Violence in school and communities: there are many communities where it is not physically safe for students to go to school. This might be due to wars and conflicts in the area, violence in the school itself, or violent discrimination. Pray for an end to violence against students and teachers, and pray that schools would be safe for all. 

 Pray for governments and policies 

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 

Matthew 20:25-28 NIVUK 

In most nations, the government determines school funding and sets guidelines about what should and should not be taught to students. Let’s spend some time praying for the people and the policies that deeply affect teachers and students. As you pray, here are some areas to focus on: 

• For good listening: pray that the policy makers and people in power listen to teachers and experts who have first-hand expertise on how to run schools in the best way. Pray that policy around schools always has the students’ best interest at heart. 
• For focus: pray that your government gives education the focus and attention it needs to create change for the better. Pray that any issues that need to be brought to light will be highlighted and addressed.
• For protection: pray that the laws and policies around education would work to protect students and teachers. 

Pray the Lord’s Prayer over teachers and students 

Let’s finish praying for teachers and students by praying the Lord’s Prayer over the schools in your area: 

“‘Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name, 
your kingdom come, 
your will be done, 
    on earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us today our daily bread. 
And forgive us our debts, 
    as we also have forgiven our debtors. 
And lead us not into temptation, 
    but deliver us from the evil one.’ 

Matthew 6:9-13