DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2015.v03i09.013

Pages: 1464-1472

Education for all policy has been adopted by many countries in the developing countries. This was based on the premises that education would contribute to the development of these countries. Against this backdrop, at independence in 1980, the Zimbabwean government declared education as a basic human right. In that regard education had to be accessible to all who require it, regardless of ability, race, creed, and religious affiliations among others. The curriculum had therefore to cater for children from different backgrounds. Despite major strides in making education accessible, concern remains about the extent to which children with disabilities have been denied access because of barriers imposed on them by society. This study focused on the efficacy of inclusive education in six purposively selected secondary schools in Harare. It used the qualitative methodology and the descriptive survey design. Data was collected through the use of open-ended questionnaires, face-to-face interviews and observation methods. The sample comprised of 60 teachers and 12 school heads. The study concluded that most teachers lacked the requisite skills to handle inclusive classes. The attitude of teachers towards inclusive education was found to be positive and pupils tolerated and respected one another in the inclusive set up. The major challenges observed were related to the size of the classes, as they were too big to manage, and the shortage of resources to provide inclusive education. The study recommends the following: funding for inclusive education; training of all teachers in handling children with special needs; and establishment of resource centres.