Towards interventions on school dropouts for disabled learners amidst and post-COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background: Despite objective arguments for inclusive education, there is a dearth of mechanisms to reduce dropouts amongst disabled learners in the extant literature. Thus, this article is one of the outputs of a study, which was conducted after a consistent observation of dwindling numbers of disabled learners who succeed in basic education in South Africa. Of late, the dropout rate increased because of adherence to lock down regulations amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This triggered the need for research on co-creating interventions to mitigate the rate of dropouts amongst disabled learners.Objective: The article explores underlying obstacles that induce school dropouts for disabled learners amidst and post-COVID-19 and postulates interventions accordingly.Methods: Descriptive-narrative research upheld reality as emerging from empirical experiences of parents and guardians of disabled children, heads of primary and secondary schools, social workers, the Department of Social Development and Basic Education, and provincial associations for disabled persons that focus on children. Lived experience-based opinions were obtained from provinces with different economic growth, namely, Limpopo and Gauteng. Forty-one in-depth one-on-one interviews and two focus group discussions used Google Meet. The collected data were analysed using Creswell’s qualitative data analysis framework (steps) and Atlas.ti.8.Results: The findings show a consistent pattern that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the parents and guardians’ fear of exposing and risking their learners to the health crisis. Based on the parents and guardians’ narrative, mainstream school administrations discriminate and are unwilling to enrol disabled learners. Furthermore, the narrative from the school leadership shows that teachers use exclusive teaching and learning methods for the enrolled disabled learners because of ignorance, misconception, misunderstanding, misinterpretation of disability, disability inclusion, and reasonable accommodation.Conclusion: Based on the finding, it is clear that dropouts amongst disabled learners can be alleviated by using a systematic multi-stakeholder local community-based intervention approach. This, therefore, implies that government authorities and agencies should incorporate disability into mainstream policies that guide planning, budgeting, staffing, and mobilisation of other resources. This would ideally enhance the provision of learning opportunities to disabled learners whilst supporting their diverse educational needs without dichotomies set by ‘ability and disability’, or normal and abnormal. In this manner, inclusive education can contribute to the educational success of disabled learners through developing sustainability and resilience amongst disabled learners.

Access to Quality Education among Students with Special Needs amidst Covid-19: A Review on Challenges and Prospects

“…The students with special needs include those who are partially blind, fully blind, learning disabled, mildly intellectually disabled, slow learners or achievers, hyperactive, hearing impaired and intellectually gifted (Andrew et al, 2020). Children with special needs require intensive engagement, individual attention and support from and with teachers, resources and learning environments which are realized to be limited and impossible through remote online learning Kaur, 2020;Makuyana, 2022;Paramasivam et al, 2022). The review experience evidence that, parents with students with special needs felt helpless and unprepared to care for and fulfil the exceptional educational and life needs and necessities of students with special needs.…”

“…Some parents, for example, lacked skills in how to operate computers, communicate and manage elearning apps and platforms as well as provide sound attention to learners (Toquero, 2020b). In low and middle-income countries and especially in remote areas, educationists, parents and students experienced limited internet access to dominant e-learning platforms like Edutopia, television programs and social media podiums like YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, Google Meet, Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, Edmodo, Skype (Angode & Ressa, 2021;Makuyana, 2022;Manase, 2021;Paramasivam et al, 2022). Accessibility of learning materials was then diversified among learners pertaining to their location and network user-friendliness.…”

“…This will help SPED students to grab opportunities for education similar to non-disabled students. Positive culture of self and collaborative positive inclusive education will then be developed among communities (Makuyana, 2022;Manase, 2021).…”

Consequences of school closures due to COVID-19 in DRC, Nigeria, Senegal, and Uganda

“…The inequities in education also increased, further disadvantaging students from low-income households, public schools, rural areas, and those with special needs. A multi-stakeholder strategic approach, which embraces the role of government, educational institutions, parents or caregivers, and the local communities [41], is key in mitigating these consequences. Long-term measures will be required to support learners who were left behind and the reintegration of those who may have challenges returning to school.…”

The Utilization of Virtual Kindergarten Application Among Students with Disabilities: Exploring Accessibility, Barriers; Families’ Perspective

“…Most school districts, especially those serving rural or low-income children, lack resources for distance learning and those suffering from disabilities (Bessell, 2022;Moensted, 2022). The literature underlines that children with disabilities or disadvantages face a considerable threat because remote education emerges as the sole format capable of addressing their educational requirements (Makuyana, 2022;Mohammed Ali, 2021). The pandemic significantly impacted special education by leading to a reduction in the number of essential staff, including teachers, psychologists, and therapists.…”