Contextualised Inclusive Education: A Retrospective Look at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Botswana

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to intrinsically explore how inclusive education (UNESCO, 1994) can be contextualized and applied within the cultural perspective of Botho[1]. The impending issue restraining reform of inclusion policies in Botswana and other Sub-Saharan countries is failure to tailor these policies to local context (ILO, 2011; Mosalagae, 2014). The argument raised by the authors is that, conceptualized inclusion should not only have to do with responding to heterogeneous needs of learners by way of augmenting participation but also a lot to do with the necessary shift in underlying cultural values and beliefs. TVETs as custodians of formal, informal, and non-formal education need to be cognizant of the national impact contextualized inclusive education has and relentlessly work towards raising the level of awareness to this important but missing service to our nation. An interpretivist approach is found relevant in assessing the practices and experiences of other countries to help in the comprehension of inclusion from an African perspective. The findings reveal that African culture has been influential as a decisive element in shaping the challenges faced by marginalized groups[2] and in particular people with disability[3] (Munyi, 2011; Abosi, 2008). Although, the five countries under study have shown to have ratified and enacted national and international policies as a way of responding to inclusive education; the authors argue that the concept of Botho coupled with inclusion may yet prove to be key in the realization of these policies. Critical to Botho is social justice which can be adopted as a doctrine of inclusive education in order to effectively adapt it to Africa’s cultural context.

Keywords: Inclusive Education, Botho, Disability.

[1] derived from Tswana and signifies a social contract of mutual respect, responsibility and accountability that members of society have toward each other and defines a process for earning respect by first giving it, and to gain empowerment by empowering others (University of Botswana, 2015).

[2] In essence marginalization may be on the basis of religion, race, ethnicity, linguistic minority, gender, social status, health and disability to mention a few.

[3] Impairments of either the mind, senses, and/or motor functioning of the body (Ingstad, 1995)