Investigation Of The Opportunities And Challenges Facing Pupils With Disabilities In Implementing Inclusive Education In Tanzania: A Case Of Igunga District

ABSTRACT

This dissertation is about the opportunities and challenges of the implementation of inclusive education facing pupils with disabilities in Tanzania public primary schools. The study was conducted in Igunga District to investigate the opportunities of pupils with disabilities in implementing inclusive education, explore the challenges facing pupils with disabilities in the implementation of inclusive education, and examine the strategies used to overcome the challenges facing pupils with disabilities in implementation of inclusive education. Using the qualitative approach, data were generated from 49 informants in the category of 1 District Specialist Education Officer; 3 Ward Education Officers, 3 head teachers, 12 teachers, and 30 pupils by the instruments of data collection of Questionnaires, Interview and Observation. The data were analyzed by coding and organizing theme into themes. The analysis revealed that the pupils with disabilities in inclusive schools require good and favorable environment, adequate teaching, and learning materials, and good infrastructure to support pupils with disabilities to learn. Teachers informed of the need of teachers to train and develop competence to support children with disabilities to learn. The study further revealed that learning among children with disabilities do not only depend on access to quality materials but also rest on the preparation of quality teachers, quality teaching, and learning materials, and good, and favoring environment gearing towards inclusive education. The study recommends for interventions on the challenges that hinder pupils with disabilities in inclusive education in Tanzania to create good learning and teaching environment for all pupils at public primary schools and tertiary education in Tanzania.