Secondary school inclusive education implementation practice in the Awi Zone, Amhara National State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Each child is entitled to an education in an environment tailored to their specific needs. This study determines students’ and teachers’ levels of knowledge, attitudes, and policy implementation on inclusive education in secondary schools. In addition, the investigation identifies and pinpoints the barriers to inclusive education implementation in secondary schools in the Awi administrative zone, Amhara region, Ethiopia. A sequential explanatory mixed methods approach was employed to perform the study. Three variables of knowledge, attitude, and policy implementation in inclusive education were measured via a questionnaire, which was used to gather quantitative data. Supplementary information was collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis for qualitative data. Three secondary schools that corresponded to these six teachers and six principals were selected for interviews using the purposive sample approach. A total of 12 have been involved, four (2 principals and teachers) in each school. Likewise, teachers (N= 186) and students (N= 1001) were chosen using a basic random sample approach for quantitative data collection. To analyse quantitative data, descriptive and inferential statistics were used. This was manipulated using SPSS version 25 software. Based on the findings of the quantitative data independent t-test, female student groups performed better than male student groups across both variables in terms of inclusive education knowledge and attitude. However, when implementing inclusive education policies, men are more competent than women. Regarding teachers’ knowledge, attitudes, and policy implementations related to inclusive education, the results of the independent t-test indicate that there was no significant difference in teacher sex in the other scenario. Similar to this, the one-way ANOVA result demonstrates that the class size of students (30–40, 41–50, and above 50) and the teaching experience of teachers (1–10, 11–20, and above 21 years) have no significant difference in the implementation of inclusive education in secondary schools. The qualitative findings revealed barriers to and challenges to the implementation of inclusive education in secondary schools. Among these challenges, lack of training, budget allocation problems, low commitment for the field, principals, teachers, and parents’ attitudinal problems, government body political intention, and principals’ flying reports were the major challenges. Generally, this study found the issues of political will deficiency, infrastructure weakness, and preparedness deficiency. This implies and recommends that in-service and pre-service training should be given a lot of emphasis and that teachers need to be conversant in inclusive approaches. The realization that education is more inclusive if governments pay more attention to how and where resources and policies are targeted and implemented. This is complemented by the concept that there is much work to be done in educating parents about the rights and responsibilities of children with disabilities. These data pillars can be used to design targeted projects to promote inclusive education adoption in secondary schools across the country.