Challenges of Teaching English in Rural Contexts of Mongolia

English language education has been prioritized by the Mongolian government since 1990 when Mongolia transitioned from socialism to democracy. Recently, the Ministry of Education has announced that it is planning to commence teaching English in grade 3 at the primary level in public schools from the academic year of 2025–2026, a change from the current practice of starting in grade 5. To implement this change, there is a need to explore the realities of English education in various contexts of Mongolia. However, the research investigating the current issues in English education in rural schools is limited. Addressing this gap, the study aims to explore the challenges that rural English teachers encounter. The findings indicate the following challenges which include heavy workload, low salaries, limited teaching resources, shortage of teachers and low levels of English proficiency. However, the geographical and socio-economic dynamics of rural Mongolia amplify these difficulties and present unique circumstances that affect their motivation and wellbeing. Furthermore, the study recommends that there is an immediate need for the government and the relevant institutions to implement policies addressing the systemic factors that demotivate them aimed at enhancing the wellbeing of rural teachers to prevent their burnout, reducing teacher shortage and attrition, and improving the quality of English education in Mongolia’s remote areas.