INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF SCHOOL MANAGEMENT TEAMS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AT SCHOOLS IN THE MANGAUNG METROPOLITAN MUNICIPAL AREA IN THE FREE STATE

Abstract

The research investigates the role of school management teams in the implementation of inclusive education at schools. Prior to 1994, South African education was characterised by separation and segregation. Learners were taught separately on the basis not only of race, but also of (dis)ability. A well-resourced separate special education system served the needs of mainly white learners. Black learners with disabilities either attended school with little support or not attend at all. One of the first tasks of the post-apartheid government was to ratify a new constitution, which was enacted in 1996, entrenching equality and human rights, including the right to education and freedom from discrimination. In 1994, South Africa became a democracy and a new era dawned. New policies were developed to provide a framework for inclusive education. In 2001, South Africa introduced White Paper 6 (WP6), Special Needs and Education: Building an Inclusive Education and Training System (Department of Education, 2001). This policy requires that all education practices should be inclusive, including providing holistic and integrated support services through intersectoral collaboration to learners who experience barriers to learning.According to the Revised Education White Paper 6 on Special Education of 2001, (2015: 10), the Department of Basic Education suggests that, all children and youth have the right to learn and need to be supported, differences in children have to be acknowledged and respected no matter the health status, age, gender, language, class, disability or ethnicity of the child, education should identify and minimize barriers to learning and should maximise participation of learners in educational institutions and the needs of all children should be met by education structures and systems. For the purpose of the research, a quantitative approach (questionnaires) was used. The population of this study comprised of all the principals, deputy principal(s), and heads of departments at selected schools in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipal area. Research conducted into educator preparedness for Inclusive Education in South Africa and educators’ perspectives concerning Inclusive Education indicate that the shift towards Inclusive Education has placed a strain on educators, because prior to 1994, educators in South Africa were trained for either mainstream education or specialised in a field. Likewise, mainstream education has not been designed for diversity or for responding to the needs and strengths of its individual learners, and therefore the task of ensuring that social justice and equity goals are met for every learner is a challenge for mainstream schools. In South Africa, as elsewhere, the complexity of the implementation of inclusive education policies is an ongoing concern for both theorists and practitioners of education. Challenges to the realisation of inclusive basic education in South Africa are compounded further by the pertinent issues underlying the implementation of basic education in the country such as the question of equality in education, the financing of basic education, the nature of the state’s duties pertaining to the provision of basic education, and the interpretation of the notion of basic education. The understanding of inclusive education in South Africa has also been impacted by historical factors, such as the apartheid exclusion of the masses from mainstream basic education, and the subsequent need to "include" everyone in post-apartheid education. The role of educational leaders such as principals and school management teams (SMTs) is critical in leading and managing schools with a diversity of learners’ needs. The leadership manifested and roles played by leaders will determine the tone and successful attainment of set objectives at schools. The leadership of a school is paramount for developing policies, aims and strategies for creating an inclusive school culture, for providing support, and for identifying external factors that may hinder the development of an inclusive school environment. Visionary and dedicated school leaders with a strong devotion to inclusive and democratic values and principles are necessary for schools to move towards the implementation of a more successful inclusive and democratic system. Successful inclusion depends on the attitudes and actions of principals, SMTs, and the investment of other school personnel as they create the school culture and have the ability to challenge or support inclusion. Effective and efficient leadership by the principal and the SMT is especially important if schools are to be truly inclusive and meet the educational needs of an increasingly diverse learner population.