International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue VI, June 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186

Challenges Faced by Administrators in The Implementation of Inclusive Education in Selected Primary Schools in Kitwe District

Fred Chibwe and Dr. Rosemary Muma Mulenga (PhD)
Kwame Nkrumah University, Zambia

ABSTRACT:- The purpose of the study was to investigate the challenges faced by administrators in the implementation of inclusive education in selected primary schools in Kitwe district. In this study, the researcher used a mixed method research design which involved the collection and mixing of both quantitative and qualitative data. Semi-structured questionnaire were used to collect data. This study revealed that, teachers are not properly trained and consequently experience serious challenges when teaching learners with special needs in an inclusive classroom. Secondly, that inclusive education is not properly implemented because the results show that most school buildings do not accommodate children with physical disabilities. The recommendation made in this study was that Head teachers need to be trained with regard to special education in order for them to properly implement inclusive education.

Keywords: Special needs, Inclusive education, Effective implementation, Education policy, Physical disabilities

Background of the study

The right to receive an education exists for children and youth in many countries across the world; this right is affirmed in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) position statement, originating in 1948 and updated in 2015. From Canada, to Colombia, Comoros to Croatia, children have the opportunity to receive a public education with their peers. Yet, millions of children are deprived of this right as a result of social, cultural, and economic factors (UNESCO, 2018).

One factor impacting equitable access to education is the presence of a disability. Children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities are often systematically excluded from schools altogether, and general education classrooms in particular (Aruna, 2016; Peters, 2003). A 2018 World Bank World Development report indicates, “even in countries with high overall primary school enrollments, children with disabilities are still significantly less likely to attend school” (p. 63). Children and youth with disabilities are much less likely to attend school than children without disabilities, particularly at higher grade levels (Kuper et al., 2014).