Principals' perceptions towards inclusive education and the recent curriculum policy development in South Africa

Abstract

After the end of apartheid in 1994, South Africa joined the rest of the world in a movement towards a more inclusive and equal society based on principles of human rights. In line with this philosophy, it was the policy document Education White Paper 6 (Department of Education, 2001), that began the process of creating an inclusive education system for all in South Africa. This study aimed to explore principals’ perceptions towards inclusive education in South Africa, and the related curriculum policy developments. The sample for the study consisted of eight principals from government primary schools in the Johannesburg-north region of Gauteng. A semistructured interview was used to gather data, and questions were devised in accordance with the research topic and aims. The results demonstrated that while the majority of principals believed in the philosophy, ideals and values of inclusive education, most of the principals were skeptical with regards to its implementation. This was primarily due to many of the challenges faced and changes that would be required for the full implementation of a wholly inclusive education system in South Africa. Furthermore, results from the study indicated that principals did not perceive the recent curriculum policy developments to be related to inclusive education, and also expressed that they did not believe that the current curriculum, Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), lends itself to the accommodation of learners with barriers to learning and development. These findings suggest that South Africa is still facing many challenges in the process of implementing inclusive education.