Influence of Headteachers' Administrative Practices on Inclusion of Learners With Special Needs in Education in Public Primary Schools in Mbooni East and West Sub-counties, Kenya

Abstract

The concept of Inclusion in education refers to the stakeholders’ efforts to have every child have access a learning institution with a conducive environment to the learner to facilitate personalized learning. Inclusion in education is in line with international policy positions summarized by the Salamanca statement “No Child is Left behind”. The Government of Kenya has made efforts to ensure that learners with special needs in education in public primary schools are included in education. Nevertheless, inclusion has been a major challenge to stakeholders in education sector in Kenya since independence. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of headteachers’ administrative practices on inclusion of learners with special needs in education in public primary schools in Mbooni East and West sub-counties, Kenya. The study therefore sought to determine the influence of headteachers’ instructional supervision, communication, co-ordination of donor support services, involvement of parents in planning and creation of conducive learning environment on inclusion of learners with special needs in education in public primary schools in Mbooni East and West sub-counties, Kenya. The study used descriptive research design and mixed research designs which puts together components of qualitative and quantitative techniques to provide more comprehensive understanding of the research challenge than each individual design. The targeted population was (N=1896) who included 204 public primary headteachers, 1632 public primary school teachers, 60 parents from units only, and 2 Education Officers. A total of 196 respondents participated in the study that included 163 teachers, 23 headteachers, 6 parents and 2 Education Officers. Data that was obtained from questionnaires for headteachers and teachers were analyzed quantitatively using SPSS version 23 while data obtained from interviews with parents and Education Officers were analyzed qualitatively. Hypothesis was tested using Independent t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The study analysis done indicated that for all the five objectives, there was no statistically significant mean difference between headteachers’ administrative practices and inclusion since all the calculated p-values were greater than standard p-value 0.05 thus rejecting the H0.The results corroborated the results of tests of hypothesis using One-Way ANOVA Output from coordination of donor support services (P=0.054>P=0.05).Results from Instructional supervision (P-value=0.047< P-value= 0.05),Pearson’s correlation at 0.01 level(2-tailed)(P value=0.001<P=0.05);(P value=0.682>P=0.05)was analyzed communication (P is 0.001<P=0.05), Involvement of parents (P value=0.0025<P=0.05) and creation of conducive learning environment (P-value=0.001<P=0.05)showed statistically significant mean difference between headteachers’ administrative practices and inclusion in public primary schools. The results therefore conclude that teachers do not approve the headteachers’ administrative practices hence the poor implementation of inclusion in Mbooni East and West sub-counties, Kenya. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education, the Teachers’ Service Commission, the Kenya Education Management Institute, the various Boards of Management and other education stakeholders, the national and county government levels consider issues on infusion of instructional supervision in SNE training, communication models, INSETS on role of donor funding and coordination, parents with SNE learners representation in BoM, headteachers’ training on procurement and creation of conducive learning environment for implementation of inclusion.