Government Support to Selected Primary School Learners with Disabilities in the Kingdom of Eswatini

Abstract

The study sought to establish the governmental support for a selected primary school in Eswatini to realise the right to education of learners with disabilities in accordance with the Suitability, Availability and Equitability (SAVE) Framework. The regular schools in Eswatini fail to educate learners with disabilities, which is against the right to education of learners with disabilities. A qualitative approach was used, employing a case study design to study one primary school. The participants included two teachers, the school principal, a National Curriculum Centre director, a senior inspector of Special and Inclusive Education, and a parent of an out-of-school child with a disability. The researcher used the findings to produce a framework that could assist the school to work with the government to comply with the SAVE Framework to realise the right to education of learners with disabilities. The study shows that government support for the school did not comply with the minimum standards of the SAVE Framework; hence, the school was not ready to educate learners with disabilities. The government grants to the school did not accommodate learners with disabilities and the school has never contacted the government for assistance in handling learners with disabilities. The school must work with the government to assist learners with disabilities. The findings of this study suggest that people should educate their children with disabilities within their community. Quantitative research that could involve many primary schools in investigating the state’s compliance with policies in all primary schools is necessary. Researchers should investigate teachers’ attitudes when teaching learners with disabilities in regular schools.