‘They Give Him a Chance’- Parents’ Perspectives on Disability and Inclusive Primary Education in Uganda

Abstract

Inclusive education interventions in low-income countries are dominated by definitions and frameworks from disability studies and educational research scholars from high-income countries. Disability studies scholars have argued for valuing diverse understandings and a different discourse when studying disability and inclusion in low-income countries. In this paper, we explore the meaning of belonging and inclusion to parents of children with disabilities in central Uganda. Through case study analysis we aim to give alternative starting points for inclusive primary education programmes. We explore the themes 'missing parts', the 'ability to manage', 'belonging to a family', and 'being given a chance' as key concepts of disability and inclusion. We argue not to translate parents' descriptions into international categories and framework, but to reflect on the larger and underlying meaning of the concepts to form a more culturally embedded and relevant starting point of education for all. We propose to address the gaps of the postcolonial education system that has taken teachers' and families' away from the concept of 'obuntu bulamu', and focus interventions on re-creating this togetherness and value the strength of concepts of belonging and caring for each other.

What Prevents Teacher Educators from Accessing Professional Development OER? Storytelling and Professional Identity in Ugandan Teacher Colleges.

“…However, while it is widely reported in the literature that classrooms in Uganda are not supporting the learning of all children (Bannink et al, 2019) there was no reference across the stories -explicitly or implicitly -to the collective effort required from tutors and colleges to respond to such a big challenge. None of the stories pointed to a level of urgency that we might expect on improving teaching and learning.…”

“…Educational outcomes for children in Uganda remain low (MOES, 2016). Teachers are reported to struggle with the pedagogical skills and subject knowledge necessary to deliver the curriculum, with tensions between expectations for teaching and structural, cultural and financial school contexts (Bold et al, 2017;Bannink et al, 2019). PTCs produce around 7,000 primary teachers each year (Kyeyune, 2011), so the implication is that changes are needed in these institutions -yet little is known about the professional lives of teacher educators (also referred to as tutors) in these and similar contexts.…”

Our need for certainty in an uncertain world: the difference between special education and inclusion?

“…Across a broad sweep of literature, inclusion can be seen as an ‘assault on oppressive vestiges of the past as a way of contributing to alternative futures’ (Slee & Allan, 2001). It involves a change in the ‘behaviour’ of adults (Ainscow & Sandhill, 2010), adopting a pedagogy that is underpinned by a principle of transformability (Hart, 2010), drawing flexibly upon a class‐community and co‐operative learning structures (Naraian, 2011), not ignoring individual needs but addressing them ‘within a larger framework of “we” as a class’ (Bannink et al, 2020). It has called for a curriculum based on values and rights (Booth, 2011).…”

“…For example, in many countries, the drive for inclusion has been allied to policy statements about teachers having a responsibility for all the students within their class (for example, EADSNE, 2012; AITSL, 2011; Skolinspektionen, 2016; Jøsendal, 2016), while at the same time they are expected to deliver the traditional educational skills and qualifications, frequently set within a framework of national curricula, standards and inspections. Within many countries, such as Nepal (Khanal, 2015) and Uganda (Bannink et al, 2020), the drive for inclusion is being sought in a social context where delivering education for all, in any form, is a profound challenge and can seem like an alien concept to many. Similar contradictions have long been evident in relation to key notions at the heart of the education‐for‐all policy discourse.…”

Stakeholder experiences, attitudes and perspectives on inclusive education for children with developmental disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review of qualitative studies

“…However, overall a multifaceted picture emerges from the evidence on this topic. Children with disabilities and their parents in multiple countries appreciated the opportunities for inclusion and learning provided by IE, but also reported instances of peers’ bullying and teachers’ hostile attitudes ( Asamoah et al, 2018 ; Bannink, Nalugya, & Van Hove, 2020 ; Brydges & Mkandawire, 2017 , 2020 ; Leseyane et al, 2018 ; Magumise & Sefotho, 2020 ). Mainstream teachers, at times keen to promote education for all pupils ( Asamoah et al, 2018 ; Franck & Joshi, 2017 ; Magumise & Sefotho, 2020 ; Mukhopadhyay, 2014 ), often felt they were not sufficiently trained for IE, or feared their teaching could be slowed down by children with disabilities ( Asamoah et al, 2018 ; Chhabra et al, 2010 ; Franck & Joshi, 2017 ; Kuyini et al, 2020 ; Mukhopadhyay, 2014 ).…”