Towards Inclusive Education in Tanzania: A study of pre-service student teachers training and percieved needs to practice inclusive education

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating pre-service student teachers training and preparation for inclusive education in Tanzanian higher learning institutions. The intention was to find out approaches used in training student teachers, and to investigate their perceived needs in order to practice inclusive education. This study was conducted in one university with a large number of university colleges which offer general teacher education at bachelor level in Tanzania. The study was qualitative in nature and involved a total of eight (8) participants: six (6) pre-service student teachers and two (2) teacher trainers (lecturers) from the university where data for this study was collected. Since the study was qualitative in nature, a phenomenology research design was adopted to investigate the research problem in hand. The data was gathered through the use of semi- structured interview with the participants, and the curriculum for teacher education was used as a reference material. The study found out that most of the pre-service student teachers have little knowledge about the concept of inclusive education and its practices. This has been caused by less package of inclusive and special education related courses in the current teacher education curriculum. Furthermore, this study found that most of the teacher trainers use traditional ways in training student teachers about inclusion, whereby the curriculum is used as a guideline. This has resulted into lack of confidence among student teachers; hence, they feel unprepared to handle children with diverse needs included in a general classroom. Also, the study found that the majority of student teachers need additional courses in the curriculum related to inclusive and special education. Likewise, they need more time for field practical in inclusive and special schools and issues concerning interacting with teaching and learning materials for children with disabilities to be part of their training in order to practice inclusive education. Finally, the study recommends teachers training institutes to restructure or look a way in which inclusive and special education knowledge will be addressed in their current curriculum. It also recommends that curriculum developers should re-design the current primary and secondary education syllabuses to allow flexibility in adopting individualised education plan for children with disabilities used in inclusive schools.