Assessment of Teacher Readiness for Implementing Quality Inclusive Education in Reigate District Secondary Schools in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province

Abstract

This study sought to assess teacher readiness to implement quality inclusive education in two schools located in the Reigate District of Bulawayo Metropolitan Province. The study employed a mixed methods approach and was guided by the behaviourist theory. The population in the study comprised of all the teachers and school Heads in the two selected secondary schools in the Reigate district of Bulawayo Metropolitan. Non-probability and probability sampling techniques were utilized, namely purposive, convenience, and random sampling, to attain a sample of eighty respondents from the two schools (forty from each). Data was collected using semi-structured interviews with the pre-service teachers and school heads, as well as through questionnaires from qualified teachers. The study established the inadequacy of school strategies with regard to addressing the factors that influence teacher preparedness to implement quality inclusive education, as well as in monitoring and evaluating teacher readiness in the same regard. Findings also revealed that most teachers have insufficient knowledge of inclusive education due to inadequate content coverage during their training, as well as a lack of in-service training. These constraints result in the teachers’ inability to utilize assessment strategies catering to the diversity that characterizes inclusive setups. Based on the results, some recommendations were made to MoPSE to organize in-service as well as pre-service training on the concept of inclusion to all teachers. Therefore, the study concluded that even though inclusive education has been embraced by the nation, teachers are still ill-prepared to implement it. Drawing from the above results, the study recommended that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should continue to organize more workshops and in-service training on inclusive education on a regular basis for all teachers to capacitate them on how to effectively implement inclusive education. Teacher training institutions should also include special needs education as a stand-alone module in their curriculum to effectively prepare teachers for inclusion.