The challenges faced by teachers in teaching learners with mild mental handicap at early childhood education level in Gweru Urban Schools.

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the challenges faced by teachers in teaching learners with mild mental handicap at early childhood education level in Gweru urban primary schools. The teachers were experiencing challenges in teaching learners with mild mental handicap due to the fact that The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has adopted the principle of inclusion yet the majority of the teachers have not been exposed to any formal training. To add on to this challenge of lack of expertise, inadequate resources, high teacher people ratio and lack of learner support from parents has made it difficult for teachers to discharge their daily duties. These challenges provoked the researcher to carry out the study. The researcher used the descriptive research design. Questionnaires and interviews were used as data collection instruments. A sample size of 29 was used. The findings from the research revealed that lack of teacher expertise, high teacher pupil ratio and lack of resources has a negative impact on the learning progress of learners with mild mental handicap. It also emerged that parents of learners with mild mental handicap did not give their children the necessary support. The researcher recommended that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should hold compulsory workshops and in-service training for teachers who have no expertise in teaching learners with mild mental handicap. School administrators should make a budget of resources needed for effective implementation of inclusive education. The Government together with School development Committees should build more classrooms in order to ease the problem of high teacher pupil ratio. Schools should involve parents in school programmes so as to make them actively involved in their children’s learning.