Challenging Inclusive Education Policy

and Practice in Africa

Series: 

 Studies in Inclusive Education, Volume: 40

Volume Editors: Sulochini Pather and Roger Slee

It is a fundamental right for all children to be given access to quality
education to ensure they reach their full potential as individuals; a right
which is reflected in international law in Article 26 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and supported by the Education for All
Agenda (1990) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People
with Disabilities and Optional Protocol (2006). Nation states across Africa
have signed up to these protocols and remain committed to ensuring
education for all children. The progress globally however in the past 25
years, including in Africa, has been slow (UNESCO, 2015). Questions
remain on why this is so and what can be done about it. This book brings
together researchers, education policy makers and academics from the
African community. What is unique about this text is that it includes local
insights narrated and critiqued by local professionals. This book presents a
wide range of African countries across the continent, to provide a critical
overview of the key issues affecting developments. It questions the origins
of ideas and definitions around inclusive education and the impact it has
made on policy and ultimately practice, within local socio-cultural and
economic communities, both urban and rural. It highlights positive
developments as well as challenges and provides a deep understanding of
why the process of implementing inclusive education is so complex in the
African continent. It provides an understanding of what is needed to
develop a more sustainable model of inclusive education across the
continent and within specific countries.

Challenging Inclusive Education Policy and Practice in Africa

Publication type: Book

 ISBN-13: 9789004391505
 Publication Year: 2018
 Publisher: 

Brill | Sense

 Language: English
 Country: Germany
Challenges of Inclusive Education
by Ekramul Hoque
Education of Children with Special Need has come a long way from Special
Education to Integrated Education and from integrated education to
inclusive education. Children with Special Needs(CWSN) required
education in regular school, in their own society and by regular Teachers.
Inclusion Values diversity. It acknowledges every learner,s fundamental
right to learn and accepts that every child has unique abilities and
needs[1]

Issues and Challenges of Inclusive Education

There are various issues and Challenges face by Children with Special
Needs (CWSN) in inclusive education are:

1. Characteristics of Individual Pupils: As we know in a diverse

classroom all of the children are sitting together in a
classroom. There are many students suffer from different
disabilities. It is very difficult to identify them from a diverse
classroom.
2. Lack of access to the mainstream: At present only 4 to 5%
of children with special needs out of 30 million have access to
education. Many schools do not show a willingness to cater to
the needs of these children
3. Lack of awareness and Attitude: The whole idea of inclusive
education is defeated due to lack of awareness, positive
attitude and sensitivity on the part of teachers, classmates,
parents and community and as a result these children
experience discrimination. 
4. Lack of trained teachers: Teachers lack competence and will
to modify methodology as per the need of children with
special need and other children
5. Large class size: There are normally 60 to 70 students in a
class which makes individualized attention very difficult and
teachers find it all the more difficult with children with special
needs.
 6. Lack of child-centred and relevant Curriculum: The
curriculum lacks flexibility and does not provide choice to
these children. The teaching-learning material is also not
appropriate for children with and without special need.[1]
7. Lack of proper infrastructure: Children with specials need to
require various types of teaching and learning aids. In India,
most of the schools do not have proper teaching and learning
aids
8. Lack of participatory activities: Children with special need
require such a learning environment in which they can learn
by participating in small groups
9. Involvement of parent and Community: As we know the
children with learning disabilities are less encouraging. So the
non-involvement of parents and community become a barrier
10. Accountability: The lack of accountability of teachers
poses challenges in inclusive education
11. Partnership: Partnership between the parents,
Teachers, School and Community etc to make the programme
success. We found that the programme is missing
12. Collaboration or consultation: The collaboration
between the different agencies of education such as
Government, NGO, Community. We found that there is a lack
of collaboration between them
13. Lack of Support: CWSN children required regular
support from parents and teachers to make satisfactory
learning. We found that there is a lack of support in some
school even they discriminate those children with special
needs
14. Peer Rejection: peers generally tries to bullying and
sometimes reject them. They feel that these children are not a
part of them. This is one of the major cause of children drops
out of school. Peer rejection is one of the main barriers of
inclusive education
15. Labelling: It means that categories of such children as
per their disabilities.  These labelling does not suit them
because they feel rejected

Also Read  Children with Learning Disabilities- B.Ed Notes

Conclusion
In Conclusion, The realization of the slogan of the millennium
“EDUCATION FOR ALL” is not possible unless educational opportunities are
provided to all including the children with special needs.[2]

Knowing the massive number of children with special needs and

limitations of the formal system non-formal and informal mode of
education must provide their support.

Many open universities including IGNOU is providing need-based

education and training. ODL mode provides flexible time, location and is
self-paced thus fitting into such a schedule that is suitable for children
with special needs. At the same time, regular schools should be
encouraged to welcome diversity and let the children with special needs
feel that they are welcomed. [3]