Intervention strategies towards inclusive education for children with Cerebral Palsy in Zimbabwe. A case study of Mt Hampden.
- Author
- Simbanegavi, Sharon N.
- Title
- Intervention strategies towards inclusive education for children with Cerebral Palsy in Zimbabwe. A case study of Mt Hampden.
- Abstract
- The study examined the intervention strategies towards inclusive education for children with cerebral palsy in Mt Hampden. The main was to explore and evaluate the effectiveness of intervention strategies towards inclusive education in promoting equitable access to quality education for children with cerebral palsy, and to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement within the educational system. The study employed phenomenology research design. The study was qualitative in nature and employed interviews and a focus group discussion for the purpose of data collection. A sample of 20 participants was drawn from the target population and utilised to collect relevant information for the study. The study employed the social model of disability theory and the basic needs approach. The study revealed that intervention strategies currently in place are fragmented and insufficiently supported by infrastructure, policy implementation, and professional expertise. The study also revealed that some schools are making efforts to accommodate children with CP through teacher improvisation, engaging parents which has proved to be vital where providing them with information, training and support which has helped to empower them to advocate for their children and getting support from NGOs. It also discovered that although schools are making efforts to accommodate children with CP, challenges and barriers still remain such as the lack of assistive technologies, insufficient teacher training, absence of physiotherapists and speech therapists, and physical inaccessibility of school facilities. Moreover, stigma and discrimination within the school and community continue to hinder the effective inclusion of learners with CP. The study also puts across recommendations. It recommends that to address these problems, there should be an increase of budgetary allocations specifically for inclusive education, development and enforcement of clear inclusive education policies and strengthening of parent-school partnerships. Furthermore, a systemic transformation is required rather than isolated interventions.
- Date
- June 2025
- Publisher
- BUSE
- Keywords
- Cerebral Palsy
- Inclusive Education
- Mt Hampden
- Supervisor
- Dr. V. P. Mangwiro
- Item sets
- Department of Social Work
