Knowledge and skills

Most principals are not confident to enroll students with SEN and implement IE due to

insufficient knowledge in IE). The teachers are yearning to handle all learners, regardless of their differences, but have insufficient skills to confidently do so. They are suggesting that they need

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to be subjected to training on IE. Need for training is one of the most important factors that influence teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion (Makoelle T. & Somerton M., 2021).

If teachers and school principals lack sufficient skills to attend to learners with diverse differences and especially those with special educational needs, it may lead to exclusion instead of inclusion. Either students with educational needs will not be given the required attention or learners with limited educational needs will be given little attention as most of it will be directed towards the learners with special educational needs. This can be related to theory of self-efficacy which refers to perceived capabilities for learning or performing actions at designated levels within specific domains (Bandura, 1997). A study confirms that principals have a positive attitude towards IE but their knowledge differs in terms of teaching experience (Mthethwa, 2008). It indicates that principals who have an experience of working with learners having SEN are more comfortable with the implementation process. According to the report obtained from UNESCO, lack of skills due to insufficient training on how to handle learners with SEN as well as lack of quality school leadership (UNESCO, 2007) affects the implementation process. It was also noted by the principals that the parents and the learners also lack of knowledge about IE.

This may have been caused by poor dissemination of information as noted in the sector policy document being one of the barriers to inclusion (Policy document, 2018). There should be a continuation of what is started in the learning institutions to homes where the learners reside after school. When parents are not provided with sufficient knowledge to handle their children with SNE, then such children feel excluded, or it might lead to miscommunication.

60 5.5.3.2 Lack of Funds

Public schools have always been allocated funds annually from the national government and households to carter for the areas shown in the figure below.

Fig. 1 Programme allocation for Education Sector in Kshs.

Programme 2018/19

Primary Education 20,396

Secondary Education 68,707

Quality Assurance and Standards (Basic) 4,331 Technical Vocational Education and Training 18,230

Youth Training and Development 2,156

University Education 108,865

Research, Science, Technology and Innovation 2,654

Teacher Resource Management 233,823

Teacher Management Primary 150,844

Teacher Management Secondary 72,170

Teacher Management Tertiary 10,764 Governance and Standards 542 General Administration, Planning and Support Services 12,142 TOTAL FOR THE SECTOR 471, 84

The above figures obtained from the Ministry of Education’s basic education statistical booklet 2019 confirms the claim from the principals that the government does not fund IE. The principals therefore have to work with available resources to carter for IE. One of the participants talked about lack of funds dedicated to IE as one of the challenges experienced during the

implementation process. Research conducted by Ahtianien et al., (2021) confirms that one of the

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reasons why IE has been implemented effectively in Finland is because funding of IE is

controlled by municipal autonomy and is provided depending on the number of individuals with SEN and the severity of the disability. This makes institutions to enroll learners with SEN because the structural and conceptual requirements are facilitated.

The results obtained from the Kenya basic educational statistical booklet (2019 indicated in fig.1) confirms what was reported by the principal that there is an imbalance during budget allocation to educating learners and trainees with disabilities. This may be attributed to the following factors; it costs more to educate them; there is lack of accurate estimates on how much it costs to educate them depending on their disabilities and the resources do not allow for optimal capitation funding (sector policy document 2018). Insufficient funds allocated for IE has

therefore resulted to poor infrastructure and high PTR.

5.5.3.3 Poor infrastructure

Inclusive Education has been defined by Ainscow as a political movement that ensures access for all (Ainscow, 2016). Students have to be made comfortable and resources made accessible to them in order to effectively transit to inclusive schools hence proper

implementation of IE. The environment of learning institutions should also be modified to accommodate learners with diverse learning and physical abilities. Creating favorable learning and environmental conditions for students with SEN to study in mainstream schools is one the solutions for inclusion. The overarching theme in the sector policy which is IE is much

concerned with learners having physical disabilities being given an equal opportunity and sufficient support to learn in mainstream education environment with their peers without disabilities (Sector policy document, p.11). Improving the infrastructure requires proper allocation of funds by the government to inclusive schools.

62 5.5.3.4 Limited Staff

One of the major indicators of quality education is pupil teacher ratio (PTR). The range of PTR dictates the contact time between the learner and the teacher, hence, the quality of education provided. According to the KICD statistical booklet (2019), the PTR ratio for public schools in Kisumu county stands at 29.5 as indicated in figure 2 which is supposed to be lower than the standard ratio of 40:1. Principals however lamented on the high number of student as compared to the number of teachers present that has been contributed by the government’s initiative to promote all learners who have sat for their primary national exams to secondary schools(100% transition), but no major increase in the number of teachers.

Lack of sufficient funds experienced by inclusive schools’ results to employment of few teachers thus increasing the PTR ratio. Teachers with sufficient skills in IE are also few yet success in implementation of IE is determined by the frequency of interaction between both parents, teachers and learners (Yazıcıoğlu, 2021). The frequency in interaction is dependent on the ratio of teacher to student population.

5.5.3.5 Communication and Collaboration

One of the major characteristics of a transformational leader simplification. This trait describes a leader who speaks in a clear and practical manner with the desired end result stated as a way of direction. This kind of trait eliminates misunderstanding and miscommunication.

During this study, all the six participants quoted lack of communication among stakeholders as a challenge to the implementation of IE. The principals pointed out that Ministry of education rolled out the policy but did not ensure that the document reaches all schools. They even

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commented that their efforts were not involved during the policy making. This may be one of the signs of lack of sufficient communication and collaboration between the principals and the Ministry of Education. In a study conducted by Mthethwa (2008), it is realized that positive feedback is obtained when principals are actively involved during the implementation process of IE. Feedback can only be obtained from the principals when there is constant communication and follow-up from the policy makers.

Lack of sufficient and effective communication is also noted between the parents and the school. During enrolment of students, some parents do not give the right information about their students due to attitudinal or cultural beliefs. This makes the learner not to get adequate help especially those with learning challenges. It is noted by a study that the frequency of interaction with both parents and learners and the school determines how much policies can be implemented (Yazıcıoğlu, 2021). The teaching staff having the positive attitude are able to identify the

learners with SEN in class and help as much as possible by changing their immediate

environment like changing sitting position to enable them get what is being taught. It is however noticeable that there is both vertical and horizontal communication between most school

principals and the staff. This is the reason why they are able to get all this information and be in the fore-front in offering solutions. Some Secondary school principals are not able to teach most classes due to administrative duties and therefore are not in so much contact with the learners.

They can therefore get information about learners only if they practice transformational

leadership. The gap in communication is noticeable between the school and the policy providers.

64 5.5.4 Mitigations to the challenges 5.5.4.1 Training and Awareness Creation

Generally, studies conducted by previous scholars have confirmed that training of school principals is necessary before and during implementation of inclusive education. Choi (2008) confirms the principals who have undergone training in special education have more confidence when working with children with disabilities hence have a positive attitude towards IE. Another study shows that school principals who are engaged on educational seminars at different levels have a positive attitude towards inclusion (Geleta, 2019). The parents’

knowledge however is not noted by most researchers as a challenge to implementation of IE.

The training could be presented in terms of pre-service and in-service training to the school principals and creating awareness during parents’ meetings and even community meetings. In Finland, in-service training for teachers and principals is locally organized where new ideas and opportunities are communicated thus improvement in the implementation process (Ahtiainen et al., 2021). The society in general should be made to know that despite the

challenges that the children may have, they can still be accommodated in mainstream schools with their peers. One of the objectives of the Kenyan government through the ministry of education is to identify learners with special education needs early in their life and provide assessment so that they can access learning institutions early enough. Research has established a policy on screening, identification, assessment and support (SIAS) that aims at ensuring that all children of school going age experiencing barriers to learning should be identified and granted access to inclusive education (du Plessis, 2013). This may only be possible if parents are made aware of signs and symptoms to report when observed earlier in life for assessment.

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The continued existence of special schools, has also made the society to believe that learners and trainees with disabilities should only be enrolled in these special institutions and that inclusion is not a possible (Sector policy document, 2018). This notion can be corrected if the society is made aware of existence and benefits of IE. In conclusion, information should be used to empower teaching staff and the society about IE. This information can be disseminated by training the staff and especially the school principals who also pass the information and skills to the other staff members.