Towards formulating a management model to enhance inclusivity at a teacher training college in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The aim of this study was to formulate a management model to enhance inclusive education at a teacher training college in Zimbabwe. Throughout the world student teachers with disabilities face many barriers in teachers’ training colleges and other higher education institutions. People with disabilities constitute some of the poorest economically and are socially excluded and marginalized. In Zimbabwe, people with disabilities constitute about 7% of the population, yet they make up 20% of the poorest people at the national level. The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers to academic and social inclusion faced by students with disabilities at a teacher training college in Zimbabwe. The objectives were to determine the challenges faced by student teachers with disabilities at tertiary institutions, explore policies on students with disabilities at tertiary institutions and suggest possible strategies that could be adopted to overcome these challenges.

The study is located in critical emancipatory research (CER) and adopted the transformative paradigm. Qualitative research methods, specifically participatory action research (PAR), were employed. The study used purposive sampling which is synonymous with qualitative research. The target population comprised all students with disabilities at a teacher’s training college in Zimbabwe. Research instruments were triangulated by using interviews and focus group discussions. Qualitative data analysis was done through the thematic analysis of responses from both lecturers and students.

The study revealed that there was no inclusive education policy at national level as well as in teachers’ training colleges in Zimbabwe, only circulars were in place. The study also found that students with disabilities had some barriers on physical access to different places at the college under study. The study also established that staff’s lack of competencies was one of the major barriers that hindered the implementation of inclusive education in teacher training colleges in Zimbabwe. There was no effective inclusive policy in teacher training colleges that could promote the implementation of inclusive practices. Stigma and discrimination among students and staff regarding students with disabilities was also prevalent. The rigid curriculum was another major barrier against the implementation of inclusive education in teacher training colleges in Zimbabwe. The study also revealed that there was a lack of funding to purchase equipment and assistive devices for students with disabilities.

The study recommended that the inclusive management model should consider easy accessibility to all places that are currently inaccessible to students with disabilities. The other recommendation was that staff members ought to be trained on inclusive education through workshops and staff development programmes. There is a need to review syllabi in order to accommodate students with disabilities, especially in practical subjects. The study also recommended that there was need to have a working policy for inclusivity in teacher training colleges so as to implement inclusive practices.

Die doel van hierdie studie was om ’n bestuursmodel te formuleer om inklusiewe onderwys by ’n onderwysersopleidingskollege in Zimbabwe te bevorder. Wêreldwyd ervaar onderwysstudente met gestremdhede talle struikelblokke in onderwysersopleidingskolleges en ander hoër onderwysinstellings. Mense met gestremdhede behoort tot die ekonomies armste groepe en word dikwels sosiaal uitgesluit en gemarginaliseer. In Zimbabwe verteenwoordig mense met gestremdhede sowat 7% van die bevolking, maar hulle vorm 20% van die armste mense op nasionale vlak. Die doel van die studie was om die struikelblokke wat studente met gestremdhede by ’n onderwysersopleidingskollege ten opsigte van akademiese en sosiale insluiting ervaar, te ondersoek. Die doelwitte was om die uitdagings wat onderwysstudente met gestremdhede by tersiêre instellings ervaar, vas te stel; die beleid oor studente met gestremdhede by tersiêre instellings te verken; en moontlike strategieë voor te stel wat aangewend kan word om hierdie uitdagings te oorkom. Die studie is ingebed in kritiese-emansipatoriese navorsing (KEN) en het die transformerende paradigma aangeneem. Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes, spesifiek deelnemende aksienavorsing (DAN), is gebruik. Doelgerigte steekproefneming, wat kenmerkend van kwalitatiewe navorsing is, is aangewend. Die teikenpopulasie het bestaan uit alle studente met gestremdhede by ’n onderwysersopleidingskollege in Zimbabwe. Navorsingsinstrumente is getrianguleer deur onderhoude en fokusgroeponderhoude te gebruik. Kwalitatiewe data-ontleding is gedoen deur die tematiese analise van response van dosente en studente. Die studie het aan die lig gebring dat daar geen nasionale beleid oor inklusiewe onderwys bestaan nie en dat onderwysersopleidingskolleges slegs op omsendbriewe gesteun het. Daar is ook gevind dat studente met gestremdhede probleme ondervind het met fisieke toegang tot verskillende ruimtes in die betrokke kollege. Verder is vasgestel dat die gebrek aan bevoegdhede onder personeel een van die grootste struikelblokke was wat die implementering van inklusiewe onderwys in Zimbabwe se onderwysersopleidingskolleges belemmer het. Daar was geen effektiewe inklusiewe beleid in hierdie kolleges wat die toepassing van inklusiewe praktyke kon bevorder nie. Stigma en diskriminasie onder studente en personeel teenoor studente met gestremdhede was ook algemeen. Die rigiede kurrikulum was ’n verdere groot struikelblok teen die implementering van inklusiewe onderwys. Daarbenewens het die studie uitgelig dat daar ’n gebrek aan befondsing bestaan om toerusting en hulpmiddels vir studente met gestremdhede aan te koop. Die studie het aanbeveel dat die inklusiewe bestuursmodel toeganklikheid tot alle ruimtes wat tans ontoeganklik vir studente met gestremdhede is, moet oorweeg. ’n Verdere aanbeveling is dat personeel deur werkswinkels en personeelontwikkelingsprogramme in inklusiewe onderwys opgelei behoort te word. Daar is ’n behoefte om sillabusse te herevalueer om studente met gestremdhede, veral in praktiese vakke, te akkommodeer. Die studie het ook aanbeveel dat ’n beleidsraamwerk vir inklusiwiteit by onderwysersopleidingskolleges ontwikkel behoort te word om die implementering van inklusiewe praktyke te verseker.

Sepheo sa diphuputso tsena ke ho theha mofuta wa tsamaiso ho phahamisa thuto e kenyelletsang bohle kholetjheng ya thupello ya matitjhere, Zimbabwe. Lefatsheng lohle, baithuti ba botitjhere ba nang le bokowa, ba fumana mathata a mangata dikholetjheng tsa kwetliso hammoho le dibakeng tse ding tsa thuto e phahameng. Batho ba nang le bokowa ba palong ya ba hlophehileng haholo ebile ba a kgethollwa, le ho behellwa ka thoko. Zimbabwe batho ba nang le bokowa ba ka etsa 7% ya baahi, empa ba etsa 20% ya ba hlophehileng setjhabeng sohle. Sepheo sa diphuputso tsena ke ho fumana se thibelo ya ho fumana thuto le kamohelo setjhabeng ya baithuti ba nang le bokowa kholetjheng ya kwetlisiso ya matitjhere, Zimbabwe. Sepheo ke ho fumana mathata a tadimaneng le baithuti ba botitjhere ba nang le bona dibakeng tsa thuto e phahameng, ho hlahloba maano a teng bakeng sa baithuti ba nang le bokowa dibakeng tsa thuto e phahameng, le ho hlahisa mekgwa e ka sebediswang ho fedisa diphepetso tsena. Diphuputso tsena di fumaneha diphuputsong tsa critical emancipatory research (CER) mme ya amohela tsela ya ho fetola. Mekgwa ya diphuputso tsa Qualitative, haholoholo diphuputso tsa ho ba le seabo ka ho etsa, e ile ya sebediswa. Diphuputso di ile tsa sebediswa mokgwa wa ho etsa ka sepheo bakeng sa ho sampola, e tshwanang le mokgwa wa boleng. Ba kgethilweng ebile bohle ba nang le bokowa kholetjheng ya thupello ya matitjhere Zimbabwe. Mekgwa ya diphuputso e ne e le ka boraro, ho sebediswa dipuisano dihlopheng. Datha ya diphuputso tsa boleng e entswe ka tlhahlobo ya mookotaba e hlahang dikarabong tsa barupelli le baithuti. Diphuputso di fumane hore ho ne ho se na leano le kenyelletsang bohle boemong ba naha hammoho le ho dikholetjhe tsa thupello ya matitjhere Zimbabwe, ho teng ke mangolo a ngoletsweng bohle feela. Diphuputso di boetse tsa fumana hore baithuti ba nang le bokowa ba na le dithibelo tse ngata ho fihlella dibaka tse itseng. Diphuputso di boetse tsa fumana hore tlhoko ya bokgoni ke e nngwe ya ditshitiso thutong ya kenyelletso kholetjheng ya thupello ya matitjhere Zimbabwe. Ho ne ho se na leano la kenyelletso le matla ho kgothaletsa tshebedisanommoho. Sekgobo le kgethollo hara baithuti le barupelli mabapi le baithuti ba nang le bokowa se ne se phahame. Kharikhulamo e sa fetoheng e ne e le e nngwe ya ditshitiso tse kgolo bakeng sa thuto e kenyelletsang bohle Zimbabwe. Diphuputso di fumane hape hore ho na le tlhokeho ya tjhelete bakeng sa ho reka disebediswa le tse sebediswang ho thusa bakeng sa baithuti. Diphuputso di kgothaleditse hore boetapele e be bo kenyelletsang, mme ba tadime ho bebofatsa ho fihlella dibaka tseo ba sa di fihlelleng ha jwale. Kgothaletso e nngwe ke hore ditho tsohle tse sebetsang di rupellwe ka thuto e kenyelletsang ka ho ba le diwekeshopo le ntshetsopele ya tsebo ya barupelli. Ho tshwanela ho hlahloba le silabase ho bona hore na e nahanne ka baithuti ba nang le bokowa na, haholo dithutong tsa tshebediso ya matsoho. Diphuputso di boetse tsa kgothaletsa hore ho be le leano la tshebetso ho kenyelletsa bohle dikholetjheng tsa thupello ya botitjhere, e le ho kenya tshebetsong tshebetso e kenyeletsang bohle,

Inhloso yalolu cwaningo kwakungukuqamba imodeli yokwengamela ukuqinisa imfundo ebandakanyayo ekolishi eliqeqesha othisha eZimbabwe. Emhlabeni wonke jikelele abafundi abafundela ubuthisha abakhubazekile babhekene nemigoqo eminingi emakolishi okuqeqesha othisha kanye nakwezinye izikhungo zemfundo ephakeme. Abantu abakhubazekile bakha abanye abantu abampofu kakhulu ngokwezomnotho futhi bayabandlululwa ngumphakathi futhi bayacwaswa. EZimbabwe, abantu abakhubazekile bakha iqoqo labantu elilinganiselwa kuma-7%, kanti bakha kuze kube ama-20% abantu abampofu ezingeni lezizwe. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo kwakungukuphenya imigoqo ekubandakanyakeni ekufundeni kanye nasemphakathini okubhekene nabafundi abakhubazekile ekolishi lokuqeqesha othisha eZimbabwe. Izinhloso kwakungukuhlonza izingqinamba ezibhekene nabafundi abaqeqeshelwa ubuthisha abakhubazekile ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme, ukuphenya izinqubomgomo kubafundi abakhubazekile ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme futhi ukuphakamisa amasu okungenzeka asebenze angasetshenziswa ukunqanda lezi zingqinamba. Ucwaningo luzike ocwaningweni oluhlaziya okunzulu ngenhloso yenkululeko, icritical emancipatory research (CER) futhi lusebenzise ipharadayimu yoguquko. Izindlela zocwaningo lwekhwalithethivu, kakhulukazi ucwaningo lokuzibandakanya ngokwenza, iparticipatory action research (PAR), zasetshenziswa ucwaningo lwasebenzisa ukuqoka ababambiqhaza ngenhloso nokufanayo nocwaningo lwekhwalithethivu. Abantu ababehlosiwe kwakubalwa kubo bonke abafundi abakhubazekile ekolishi lokuqeqesha othisha eZimbabwe. Amathuluzi ocwaningo ayeyizindlela eziyingxube ngokusebenzisa izingxoxo kanye nezingxoxo zamaqoqo acwanigwayo. Ukuhlaziya imininingo yekhwalithethivu kwenziwa ngokuhlaziya ngezindikima kwezimpendulo eziqhamuka kubo bobabili abafundisi basesikhungweni kanye nabafundi. Ucwaningo lwaveza ukuthi yayingekho inqubomgomo yemfundo ebandakanyayo ezingeni lesizwe kanye nasemakolishi okuqeqesha othisha eZimbabwe, kwakuyizincwadi zezaziso kuphela ezazikhona. Ucwaningo futhi lwathola ukuthi abafundi abakhubazekile babenemigoqo ebavimba ngokwenyama ukungena ezindaweni eziningi ekolishi elalicwaningwa. Ucwaningo lwabe selithola ukuthi ukungabi khona kokuqonda kwabasebenzi kwakungeminye yemigoqo emikhulu evimbela ukusetshenziswa kwemfundo ebandakanyayo emakolishi okuqeqesha othisha eZimbabwe. Yayingekho inqubomgomo esebenzayo emakolishi okuqeqesha othisha engagqugguzela ukusetshenziswa kwemikhuba ebandakanyayo. Ukucwaswa kanye nokubandlululwa phakathi kwabafundi kanye nabasebenzi mayelana nabafundi abakhubazekile kwakusabalele. Ikharikhulami eqinile kwakungeminye imigoqo eqinile ephambene nokusetshenziswa kwemfundo ebandakanyayo emakolishi okuqeqsha othisha eZimbabwe. Ucwaningo luveze futhi ukuthi kunokusweleka kwezimali ukuthenga izinto zokusebenza kanye nemishini yokwelekelela yabafundi abakhubazekile. Ucwaningo luphakamise ukuthi imodeli yokwengamela okubandakanyayo kumele ibhekelele ukufinyeleleka okulula kuzo zonke izindawo ezingakwazi ukufinyeleleka kuzona njengamanje kubafundi abakhubazekile. Ezinye izincomo zazingukuthi abasebenzi kumele baqeqeshwe ngemfundo ebandakanyayo ngendlela yemihlangano efundisanayo kanye nezinhlelo zokuthuthukiswa kwabasebenzi. Kunesidingo sokubuyekeza izinhlelo zezifundo ukuze kubhekeleleke abafundi abakhubazekile, kakhulukazi ezifundweni ezisebenzisayo. Ucwaningo lubuye lwancoma ukuthi bekunesidingo sokuba nomgomo osebenzayo obandakanyayo emakolishi okuqeqesha othisha ukuze kusebenze izindlela ezibandakanyayo.