| Title | Chapter 3: Analysing the advancements achieved in inclusive education since its implementation in South Africa |
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| DOI | https://doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2025.BK501.03 |
| Landing page | https://books.aosis.co.za/index.php/ob/catalog/book/501 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Vusi Mncube, Mzuyanda Percival Mavuso, Winston Hendricks & Charl Wolhuter (eds.). Licensee: AOSIS (Pty) Ltd. The moral rights of the editors and authors have been asserted. |
| Publisher | AOSIS |
| Published on | 2025-09-01 |
| Long abstract | This chapter examines the progress of implementing inclusive education(IE) in South Africa from 1994 to 2024. It is supported by the Student–Environment–Tasks–Tools (SETT) framework, developed by Zabala (1995), which is a four-pronged framework focusing on a centred approach that customises the learning experience to meet individual learner needs. Researchers employed purposive sampling to engage relevant participants. This chapter addresses the implementation of IE and the challenges encountered since the onset of democracy in South Africa. Given this context, the implementation of IE in South Africa should have made significant strides in ensuring that all learners, regardless of their learning difficulties, receive education in mainstream teaching environments. The findings revealed that teachers lack the relevant competencies to assist learners with learning difficulties (LWLDs). Additionally, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in South Africa has inadequate school infrastructure to support LWLDs, making it challenging for teachers to provide adequate assistance. This study further highlights the role of technological devices in facilitating curriculum delivery to LWLDs. Technologically enhanced learning experiences have the potential to engage even struggling learners. For instance, using YouTube videos allows for curriculum differentiation; digital tools are visually appealing and can accommodate learners with varying abilities. Information and communication technologies can enable teachers and policymakers to expedite the implementation of IE in schools and promote digital citizenship among learners and teachers. Moreover,technology-enhanced capacity development for teachers can reduce training and travel costs, as it can be conducted remotely, thereby ensuring that teachers do not leave learners unattended during teaching hours. |
| Print length | 35 pages |
| Language | English (Original) |
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Bongumusa Gubevu is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Faculty of Education at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa. Gubevu has a keen interest in applying Ubuntu philosophy to address issues in inclusive education. Additionally, Gubevu focuses on school leadership and management, as well as the integration of technology in learning and teaching. Gubevu holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education from theUniversity of Fort Hare, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Management College of Southern Africa (MANCOSA), a Bachelor ofArts (BA) Honours (Hons) in Information Science from the University of South Africa (Unisa), a BA from Unisa and a Secondary Teacher’s Diplomafrom the Eshowe College of Education. Gubevu has published journal articles on the integration of technology in geography teaching and serves as a reviewer for an accredited Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) journal.
Vusi Mncube is the Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University ofFort Hare. Mncube has extensively published on democracy and education, focusing on good governance, school governance, democracy in education and social justice. Within the realms of good governance and democracy, Mncube has authored numerous research articles in reputable academic journals. Additionally, he has supervised several MA and PhD studies. Mncube is also an expert on violence in schools, having published various research reports, articles and a book, with a second edition released in 2023. Mncube co-authored three books, the most recent being Violence in Schools: South Africa in an International Context (with CR Harber, 2018, Unisa Press), which won the prestigious Hiddingh-Currie Award at Unisa in 2018. In 2012, Mncube published Education, Democracy and Development: Does Education Contribute to Democratisation in Developing Countries? (with CR Harber, Symposium Books, Oxford, United Kingdom). That same year, Mncube and Clive Harber co-authored a Unisa report titled The Dynamics of Violence in South African Schools, published by Unisa Press in Pretoria. In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Mncube published several articles on integrating information and communication technologies (ICTs) into teaching and learning in higher education institutions. Mncube also serves as a peer reviewer for various national and international journals.
Nokuphumula Nyawo is the deputy principal at Ndlangamandla Secondary School in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Nyawo holds an MA in Inclusive Education from the University of Fort Hare. Nyawo completed her tertiary education at the Madadeni College of Education in 1996 and furthered her studies in Accounting at the then Rand Afrikaans University, now known as the University of Johannesburg, in 2004. Nyawo obtained her BA (Hons) with cum laude in Inclusive Education from the University of South Africa (Unisa) in 2012. With 29 years of experience as an Accounting educator, Nyawo has served for 14 years as a PL1, seven years as a departmental head and eight years in her current position. Nyawo received awards for achieving a 100% pass rate in the Accounting National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations in 2008, with two learners attaining distinctions, and again in 2010, with one learner receiving a distinction. Additionally, Nyawo recorded an 80% pass rate in the 2013 NSC examination results. Nyawo is also a mentor for student educators pursuing their Bachelor of Education (BEd) degrees from various institutions. From 2000 to 2008, Nyawo served as the finance officer of Ndlangamandla Secondary School. Nyawo has chaired the LearnerTeacher Support Material (LTSM) committee since 2014 and has been the coordinator of the school-based support team (SBST) since 2020, focusing on the screening, identification, assessment and support of learners with barriers to learning, in accordance with the Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) Policy.