Masauso Chirwa

Inclusive Education and Disability: Opportunities and Challenges Masauso Chirwa

?Inclusion? has become a catchphrase, not only among the educationists, but also among administrators, policy makers/implementers, human rights advocates (particularly those who advocate for the rights of people with disabilities) and social workers (who advocate for social justice and empowerment of vulnerable members of society). People have negative attitudes towards people with disabilities and it is sometimes associated with cursing; and poor families fail to send children to school. Girls with disabilities are vulnerable to sexual abuse because they are perceived to be HIV free and safe. Distance between homes and schools posse a challenge to people with disabilities. The high teacher -student ratio is also high, and there is also lack of legal and policy frameworks to foster the inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream schools. However, there are also opportunities social workers sensitize non-disabled students on the need to embrace their peers with disabilities.