SELECTED FACTORS INFLUENCING IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN PRE-SCHOOL CENTRES IN NYAMIRA NORTH SUB-COUNTY, NYAMIRA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Inclusive education is a process of adjusting the home, school and the larger community to accommodate persons with special needs. In respect to pre-school learners, it is a means by which centers accommodate all learners regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic challenges. UNICEF notes that some 150 million children with disabilities lack access to child care services, schools, recreation and other social services, and are likely to remain illiterate and untrained, ultimately unable to join the labor force. Children with special needs are still perceived negatively by society. Most of the learners with special needs do not enroll in pre-school centers in Nyamira North Sub-county and if enrolled, they drop out before the year ends as per the report from Education Office. The purpose of the study was to examine selected factors influencing implementation of inclusive education in pre-school Centers in Nyamira North sub-county. Efforts have been made to integrate learners with special needs into mainstream classrooms in schools although the progamme has encountered a lot of challenges. The study was guided by the following objectives: Teachers’ perceptions, parental role, and availability of teaching and learning resources towards the implementation of inclusive education. The study employed descriptive survey research design. The target population was 134 head teachers of 134 pre-school centers, 402 pre-school teachers, 12 Education officers and 938 pre-school parents. Sample size was 40 pre-school centers, 40 head teachers which were randomly sampled to represent 30% of the centers. Further, 120 pre- school teachers and 281 pre-school parents were sampled through stratified random sampling and 12 Education Officers by census sampling. Data was collected using questionnaires and observation checklists. Descriptive statistics such as percentages and weighted averages were used in analyzing data. Findings revealed that teachers had a cordial relationship with children with special needs, parental role influences the implementation of inclusive education and inadequate teaching and learning resources affected the implementation of inclusive education. The study concluded that the implementation of inclusive education is influenced by various factors including those discussed in this study. The study recommended that policies on continuous teacher training should be developed to ensure availability of teachers specialized in handling children with special needs at pre-school level, mobilize stakeholders to support children with special needs, parents should be encouraged to actively participate in education of their children with special needs and adequate teaching and learning resources should be provided to ensure effective implementation of inclusive education.