Towards implementing inclusive education in Kenya: Lessons from the learning environment in Uasin Gishu county

Abstract

Although Kenya has been helped by United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Bernard Van Lee Foundation (BVLF) and the Agha Khan Foundation, a lot remains to be done in the quest to achieve inclusive education. As such, fully cognizant of other factors that may account for this scenario, this study sought to determine the extent to which the school learning environment influences implementation of inclusive education in rural public primary schools within Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. Adopting a mixed design approach, the study sampled 221 teachers. Stratified and proportionate sampling was used to select schools (ECDE centres) and teachers, while data was collected using questionnaires, interview schedules and observation guides. Data collected was analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Pearson Chi-square and Regression, and correlation analysis were used to establish the existence and strength of association between the study variables. The level of significance was set at 95% or at a p-value of 0.05. Open-ended questions were analysed through reporting themes and quotas as they emerged. The analysed data was presented in frequency tables, graphs and charts denoting the findings of the study. The study findings indicated that there was there was significant association between the conduciveness of the school learning environment (χ2=99.712; df=16; p=0.000) andmplementation of IE. Further, from R-square values, the school learning environment (19.0%) contributed to the implementation of inclusive education in rural public ECD centres in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. This paper establishes that the conduciveness of the environment enhances implementation of the IE. In learning environments where assistive technologies have been installed and working, then implementation may be deemed successful. Therefore, there is a need for deliberate funding by county government, since ECDE is a devolved function. There is also need for a legislation to govern ECDE centre, and this legislation ought to be in tandem with national goals and sustainable development goals.