Effects of Resource Factors on the Implementation of Inclusive Education Services in Public Primary Schools in Kisii Town, Kenya

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

CONCLUSIONS

RECOMMENDATIONS

REFERENCES

ABSTRACT

Contributing to discourses of dependency and development like this, ideas about disability are frequently co-opted to support neocolonial political agendas. In this sense the links between post-colonialism and disability are direct, dynamic and constitutive in the contemporary world. As a critical discourse, post-colonialism can offer a crucial point of departure for the analysis of disability representations when they are manifested in, or projected onto, non-western cultural contexts. The readiness for acceptance of inclusion varies across countries and continents of the world. While countries within the advanced economies have gone beyond categorical provisions to full inclusion, Kenya and most countries of Africa, are still grappling with the problem of making provisions for children with special needs especially those with handicaps, even on mainstreaming basis.. Despite the critical role of resources factors in the implementation of inclusive education, this factor has largely escaped scholarly attention. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the relationship between the resources factors and implementation of inclusive education in public primary schools in Kisii town, Kisii County, Kenya. The study adopted the descriptive survey design in collecting data. The study was carried out among teachers, head teachers and education ministry officials. The study sample included all the 5 public primary schools offering special education and those with special units. The research instruments used were questionnaires and interview schedules. The analysis done was done using frequency counts and calculation of percentages. The study found out that inclusive education implementation in public primary schools in Kisii town was faced by numerous resources factors challenges such as lack of specialized instructional materials, public school buildings not user friendly for students with disabilities, lack of adequate guidance services for the parents and the nature and extent of special education facilities available for their children and inadequate support services.. The findings of the study will be relevant to the Ministry of Education in planning and developing inclusive education curriculum, training of teachers and infrastructure development in public primary schools to enhance inclusive education.

INTRODUCTION

As indicated by UNESCO (2009), it is only until recently that education for children with special needs has been made a high priority issue for review for most governments across the globe by NGO’s safeguarding the needs and identification of marginalized groups such as the Asian and African girl child and all disabled groups. According to Charema & Peresuh (1996), inadequate facilities and lack of relevant materials is one of the major obstacles to the implementation of inclusive education in developing countries.

The study carried out by (Kristensen & Kristensen, 1997) in Uganda and another by Kisanji (1995) in Tanzania, both indicate that in most regular schools where children with disabilities were integrated, the required materials were not provided or were inadequate. Another study carried out in Zambia by (Katwishi, 1988) indicates that there were no specialist teachers in most mainstream schools to provide important advisory services that would assist regular teachers with managing learners with special needs who were being integrated. In his research study in Zimbabwe, (Charema, 1990) indicates that in some of the mainstream schools where children with hearing impairments were integrated, hearing aids had no batteries, and or cords, some of the ear moulds were chipped, some speech trainers were not working and there were no spare parts to have them repaired.

According to Ozoji (1995) most institutions in developing countries do not have the basic units and materials necessary to provide adequate special needs education. Kholi (1993) reports that in Asia, institutional facilities are grossly inadequate in all countries in the continent as they are serving less than 1% of the population with special needs. In addition, Fisher & Kennedy ( 2001) indicates that the most predominant source of funding of SNE is donor funding as a result of government negligence and lack of government prioritization of SNE development, with most governments having no substantial contribution towards IE implementation from national budgets.

Ballard (1996) assessment of existent successful IE Inclusive education in New Zealand have found that lack of political will especially with relation to the attitudes of government officials has negatively affected the growth of IE implementation across the country as few government officials are aware of the benefits of IE and the reasons for its implementation. According to Charema & Peresuh (1996), inadequate facilities and lack of relevant materials is one of the major obstacles to the implementation of inclusive education in developing countries A study carried out by (Kristensen & Kristensen, 1997) in Uganda and another by Kisanji (1995) in Tanzania, both indicate that in most regular schools where children with disabilities were integrated, the required materials were not provided or were inadequate.

Another study carried out in Zambia by (Katwishi, 1988) indicates that there were no specialist teachers in most mainstream schools to provide important advisory services that would assist regular teachers with managing learners with special needs who were being integrated. In the study conducted in Zimbabwe, it was indicates that in some of the mainstream schools where children with hearing impairments were integrated, hearing aids had no batteries, and or cords, some of the ear moulds were chipped, some speech trainers were not working and there were no spare parts to have them repaired (Charema, 1990). There is need for developing countries to de-colonize their spirits, since there is no one to de-colonize them, they should move on make use of indigenous products to manufacture equipment that can be used and serviced within the country. Due to financial crisis, shortage of foreign currency to import the much-needed equipment, some people with disabilities in developing countries are making wheel chairs, and calipers for people with disabilities, using improvised materials. Other developing countries can also make use of the available resources to make some of the equipment instead of waiting for donor agencies to provide.

It is unfortunate that some of the funds meant for children with special needs, are misdirected towards other causes thereby disadvantaging the rightful recipients. Corruption and power to rule forever have become the major cancer in developing countries, and therefore funds are diverted towards political security and personal gain (Grol, 2000). According to Ozoji (1995) most institutions in developing countries do not have the basic units and materials necessary to provide adequate special needs education. This study therefore focused on the effects of resources factors on implementation of inclusive education services in public primary schools of Kisii town, Kisii County, Kenya.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Developing countries can no longer afford to keep on theorizing while millions of children with disabilities continue to be marginalized, segregated, viewed as objects of pity and disadvantaged both in school and in society. Time has come for professionals, parents and heads of governments of developing countries to pull their resources together and create equal opportunities, conducive learning environments and social justice for children with disabilities. Developing countries are lagging behind in keeping abreast with the changes in special education. Major factors that retard progress in implementing Inclusive Education (IE) in these countries are lack of funding for informative research, lack of adequate resources to equip, facilitate and expand the provision for children with special needs, misdirection of funds towards political security, corruption, limited personnel training programs, inadequate qualified personnel, the absence of enabling legislation and limited support services.

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