TEACHERS AND HEAD TEACHERS’ PREPAREDNESS FOR IMPLEMENTING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF MURANG’A COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Although inclusive education has been acknowledged as the means through which learners with special needs can access quality education, the practice is yet to be fully introduced and implemented in public primary schools in Kenya. Inclusive education is grounded on the principle that learners with special needs should be accommodated in neighbourhood age- appropriate regular classes; this being the first placement option. Based on Everett Rogers‟ theory of innovation diffusion, this study aimed at assessing teachers and head teachers‟ preparedness for implementing inclusive education in public primary schools in Murang‟a County. Employing the embedded model of mixed research design, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. The participants were 462 teachers, 66 head teachers, 4 Quality Assurance and Standards officers, and 4 Education Assessment and Resources Centres officers. Using questionnaires, interviews, observations and document analysis, knowledge, skills and attitudes of teachers and head teachers were assessed to establish their level of preparedness for inclusive education. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse quantitative data while content analysis was used for qualitative data. The study findings revealed that preparedness of teachers and head teachers for implementing inclusive education in Murang‟a County was inadequate and the level of inclusive education implementation in the county was low. Further, results showed that teachers‟ attitudes towards inclusive education were negative and only the demographic variables of age and marital status had significant influence on teachers‟ attitudes towards inclusive education. Findings also indicated that preparedness predicted effective implementation of inclusive education and head teachers attitudes was the most significant predictor of effective implementation of inclusive education. Lack of training on inclusive education impeded teachers and head teachers‟ preparedness for inclusive practices. The implications of the findings are discussed in reference to promoting teachers and head teachers preparedness with the intention of advancing effective adoption, implementation and institutionalisation of inclusive education in Kenya.