Abstract:
Schools should mirror the nature of inclusiveness of societies they serve, by accommodating
learners with diverse abilities. The purpose of this study was to investigate how inclusive
education is managed in public mainstream primary schools. The study used the qualitative
research design because qualitative researchers study phenomena in their natural settings
without the manipulation of variables under study. The reseacher used interviews, observation
and document analysis to collect the qualitative data. The population of this study were school
principals, heads of department and teachers in public inclusive mainstream schools. Data was
collected from 4 purposively selected primary schools in Zimbabwe and 4 purposively selected
primary schools in South Africa. 8 school principals 16 heads of department and 16 teachers
were interviewed, that is, 4 principals 8 heads of department and 8 teachers were from
Zimbabwe while 4 school principals, 8 heads of department and 8 teachers were from South
Africa. Data was analysed thematically. The major findings of the study were that, lack of
adequate policies, negative attitudes from some stake holders, shortage of relevant material
resources, shotage of expert teachers to teach inclusive classes and unsuitable environments
were some crucial factors that hampered mainstream schools from maximising inclusive
education. The study recommends the development of inclusive, friendly schools through the
designing of relevant policies, modification of the curriculum, both in teachers’ colleges and
mainstream schools, training of more teachers and the provision of resources that are more
sensitive to the diverse needs of learners with special needs.
