Inclusion in mainstream primary schools: educators’experiences in Cornubia.

Abstract

This study intended to explore the primary school educators’ experiences of implementing inclusion in a mainstream school in Cornubia, located in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study was conducted by the interpretivist paradigm, using a qualitative approach. The sample for this study was purposefully selected, using 4 educators from a selected primary school in the Cornubia area. Semi-structured interviews and a focus group discussion were instruments that were used to generate the necessary data to gain insight on how educators experience the implementation of inclusive education in their school. Themes and sub-themes were generated as an employment of content analysis for this study. The study revealed that educators have similar experiences when implementing inclusion in a mainstream school. It was further perceived by the educators that the implementation of inclusive education was challenging, given the lack of resources and facilities, higher learner enrolment leading to overcrowded classrooms, poor infrastructure and inadequate training and support. The findings of this study highlights the continued professional training and development of educators in the inclusive education sector. Furthermore, the Department of Education should consider the provision of relevant resources and work on the improvement of facilities and infrastructure for the development of inclusive education in mainstream schools. This, could in turn, subsequently offer additional support and encouragement to these educators, enhancing their confidence and experiences in implementing inclusive education. The main focus of all schools is to offer a safe, inclusive and fruitful learning environment for both educators and learners and this is how we expect the future to look like.