INFLUENCE OF HEAD TEACHERS' INVOLVEMENT OF PARENTS 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 aims to create an educational environment that adapts to each learner, facilitating personalized learning for every child in a learning institution. The inclusion of learners with special needs in public primary schools has posed a significant challenge to stakeholders in the education sector in Kenya. This study focuses on examining the influence of headteachers' involvement of parents on the inclusion of learners with special needs in public primary schools in Mbooni East and West sub- counties, Kenya. A descriptive research design and mixed research methods, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative techniques, were employed to comprehensively address the research challenge. The study population consisted of 1896 individuals, including 204 public

Primary headteachers, 1632 public primary school teachers, 6 parents, and 2 Education Officers. A total of 196 respondents, comprising 163 teachers, 23 headteachers, 6 parents, and 2 Education Officers, participated in the study. Quantitative data obtained from questionnaires for headteachers and teachers were analyzed using SPSS version 23, while qualitative data from interviews with parents and Education Officers were analyzed qualitatively. The hypothesis was tested using an independent t- test at a 0.05 level of significance. The analysis revealed that there was no statistically significant mean difference between headteachers' involvement of parents and inclusion of learners with Special Needs Education. However, the involvement of parents showed a statistically significant mean difference between headteachers' involvement of parents and inclusion in

Public primary schools’ parents (P value=0.0025<P=0.05). The results suggest that teachers do not endorse the headteachers' involvement of parents in the inclusion of learners with special needs education, indicating a poor implementation of inclusion in Mbooni East and West sub-counties, Kenya. The study recommends that educational stakeholders at national and county levels consider the representation of parents with special needs education learners on Boards of Management for improved inclusion implementation