Neurodiversity in South African Education. A Study of Policy and Research on Autism and Attention-Deficient/Hyper-Activity Disorder

Abstract

This conceptual paper advocates for the recognition of neurodiversity within South African education policy as integral to the realization of inclusive education. Current policy discourses marginalize neurodivergent communities by conflating neurodiversity with disability, reproducing deficit-based framings that neglect intersectional realities. This underrepresentation has negative consequences for the participation and recognition of neurodivergent learners, particularly those with autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. We argue that policy reform is essential to reframe neurodiversity as difference, rather than disability. Drawing on the cultural model and intersectionality theory, this study undertakes a qualitative analysis of post-apartheid education policy documents and relevant scholarly literature. The analysis critically interrogates how neurodiversity is framed, the extent of its representation, and the implications of prevailing deficit-oriented conceptualizations for inclusive education in South Africa. Findings reveal that neurodiversity is largely absent from existing policies, and when referenced, it is mischaracterized through medicalized discourses that reinforce stigma. Such framings erase strengths-based perspectives, perpetuate negative perceptions of autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and constrain institutional capacity to develop inclusive practices responsive to South Africa's sociocultural context. We call for Afrocentric, intersectional, and community-driven policy reform. Reframing neurodiversity as human diversity would align with UNESCO's Salamanca Statement, enhance institutional inclusivity, and improve the educational experiences of neurodivergent learners across schools and universities in South Africa.