Practice and Challenges of the Implementation of Inclusive Education Strategy in Secondary Schools: The Case of Gofa Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Inclusive Education (IE) is a practical approach to effectively accommodate students with disabilities (SWDs) in the general education classroom, whereby educational equity is believed to be realized. To that effect, the Federal Government of Ethiopia (FDRE) developed and rolled out its 2012 Inclusive Education Strategy (IES). This study assessed the implementation status of the strategy after a decade of enactment in secondary schools of the Gofa zone in South Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State (SNNPRS). This study aimed to examine the practice and challenges of implementing the IES in secondary schools to contribute its share toa better realization of inclusivity. The survey, FGDs and KIIs have been employed to generate quantitative and qualitative data; results analysis has been made using an independent t-test and the mean score interpretation using Bluma (2012) intervals; and SPSS version 21 for frequency counts and percentages for comparing and contrasting perceptions and opinions. The study’s significant findings show that IES has not been effectively implemented in the Zone. Instead, challenged by different factors such as; lack of knowledge, understanding and awareness about the strategy; shortage of suitable inputs, physical facilities and teaching materials for the SWDs; leadership and management failure due to lack of understanding about the IES, and absence of reliable data about the CWD in the community. Filing the knowledge gaps of all the school community about the IES; conducting integrated leadership to make the schools suitable for SWDs; school-led- and community-assisted data collection on CWDs stand out asessential recommendations to improve the implementation.