EXCLUSION IN INCLUSION: EXPERIENCES OF LEARNERS WITH ALBINISM IN SELECTED MAINSTREAM AND SPECIAL SCHOOLS IN ZAMBIA

Authors

  • Thomas Mtonga School of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, Sociology and Special Education, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Esther Lungu School of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, Sociology and Special Education, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Kalisto Kalimaposo School of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, Sociology and Special Education, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Joseph Mandyata School of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, Sociology and Special Education, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v7i1.3638

Keywords:

albinism, special schools, regular schools, special needs, disability

Abstract

Albinism is an inherited skin pigmentation condition which affects all races in the world. However, the condition is more conspicuous among the black population because of the absence of pigmentation which leads to some whitish appearance. This condition also leads to multiple disabling experiences to the individuals with albinism. The overriding aim of the study was to establish the learning experiences of learners with albinism in both regular and special schools. The study was located within an interpretive qualitative paradigm and used a phenomenology research design. The Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to explore in detail how participants made sense of their personal and social world with regard to learners with albinism in regular and special schools. The researchers conducted one-on-one interviews with the participants and content – analyzed the data. Parents of learners with albinism, teachers, school administrators and learners with albinism participated in interviews. The findings revealed that in regular schools’ learners with albinism tended to exclude themselves from other learners so as to avoid discrimination and stereotypes surrounding their condition. The findings also confirmed the existence of myths and stereotypes regarding albinism. The findings further revealed that teachers in regular schools were not patient with learners with albinism and did not give them extra attention and that some teachers used negative comments and did not want learners with albinism in their classes. It was observed that the majority of learners with albinism felt more secure in special schools rather than regular schools. Parents of children with albinism supported the idea of learners with albinism learning in special schools where the learning environment was conducive for them. The study recommended inter alia that government through the Ministry of Education should enhance teacher education programmes by providing requisite knowledge and skills to trainee and serving teachers on handling learners with albinism and other disabilities. School administrators, teachers, learners and the community should raise sensitization and awareness campaigns on disability issues.

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Author Biographies

  • Thomas Mtonga, School of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, Sociology and Special Education, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
    Mr. Thomas Mtonga, is a Special Research Fellow in the Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education degree programme at the University of Zambia. He holds a Master of Education in Special Education of the University of Zambia and Master of Arts in Human Rights from University of Leeds in United Kingdom. Further, he has a Bachelor of Education in Special Education from university of Zambia and a Diploma in Education from Kwame Nkrumah University in Zambia. He is currently a lecturer in Special Education at the university of Zambia and is, visually impaired. He has worked as a secondary teacher of English and Religious Education in Zambian secondary schools and serves as an advisor on a number of international and national organizations dealing with persons living with disabilities. His research interests include: Advocacy and sensitization on disability and Human rights; disability, poverty and education and inclusive education methodologies.
  • Esther Lungu, School of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, Sociology and Special Education, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
    Her Excellency, Mrs. Esther Lungu is the current First Lady of the Republic of Zambia and Founder of the Esther Lungu Foundation Trust. She is a 4th year student in the special education degree programme at the University of Zambia and participated in the collection and processing of data as a student, that led to prepartion of this article. Since assuming her tenure as First Lady in 2015, Mrs. Lungu has utilized her distinguished position to reinforce her passion for uplifting the wellbeing of humanity which work she has been doing for more than 26 years. Mrs Lungu has levered her position to focus on the economic empowerment of women living in rural and hard to reach areas. She advocates for the empowerment women and girls; maternal and child health; and for persons with disabilities. Her Excellency has joined global leaders to press for the elimination of child marriage, discrimination against persons with disabilities; and elimination of gender-based violence. Through her Foundation, Mrs. Lungu is co-financing food processing equipment for women in agriculture; low-cost boarding houses for girl’s education; drilling of boreholes for clean drinking water and assistive devices for children with disabilities. Her Excellency Mrs. Esther Lungu is a member of the Organization of African First Ladies Against HIV and AIDS, she is also a member of the Stop Cervical and Breast Cancer First Ladies Forum, she is patron of the Lafarge Foundation in Zambia, she is also the patron for SOS Children Villages in Zambia. During the Starkey hearing Floundation 17th Annual awards Gala in July 2017 in Minneapolis U.S.A, the First Lady was awarded as the 2017 Humanitarian Honoree alongside actor, director, writer and founder of the Eastern Congo initiative Ben Affleck; the Wilf Family Foundations; FedEx and Scott Borchetta and Sandi Spike Borchetta of Big Machine Records and Music Has Value. With this award, the First Lady of Zambia joins other notable individuals like Presidents Tony Blair of Britain and Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Archbishop Desmond tutu, sir Richard Branson, actress and philanthropist Jennifer Garner and many others since to receive this award since its introduction in the year 2000. She has also been awarded by the Medical Association of Zambia for her adovocacy work on health for rural communities and she has been recognized for supporing persons with hemophilia in Zambia, resulting in significantly improving their quality of life by the World Federation of Hemophilia. Her Excellency Mrs Lungu has also been decorated by Lions Clubs International with the Presidential Pin for her outstanding work to uplift humanity since assuming office as First Lady.
  • Kalisto Kalimaposo, School of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, Sociology and Special Education, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
    Dr. Kalisto Kalimaposos is Senior Lecturer and researcher in the University of Zambia, School of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, Sociology and Special Education. He holds a PhD in Sociology of Education, Master’s degree in Sociology of Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Library & Information Studies from the University of Zambia. He has published and presented papers on a wide range of educational issues in local and international journal. His research interests include equity studies in education, curriculum innovation, teacher education, sociology of disability, transformative learning, comparative and development education, primary education and entrepreneurial education.
  • Joseph Mandyata, School of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, Sociology and Special Education, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
    Dr. Joseph Mandyata is a lecturer, researcher and currently Head, Department of Educational Psychology, Sociology and Special Education, School of Education, University of Zambia. He has researched, presented papers and published several articles in the field of special and inclusive education; guidance and counselling in local and international journals. He holds a PhD in Special Education, Master of Education in Special Education and a Bachelor of Arts with Education Degree from the University of Zambia. He lectures in special education; inclusive education and guidance and counselling at both postgraduate and undergraduate levels. His research interests are in: Policies and Management of Special and Inclusive education; Partnerships in Inclusive Education; Guidance and Counselling, Disability, Education and Poverty. Some of his works appear under Research gate and University of Zambia website – institutional repository as well as academia platforms.

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Published

2021-03-22

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 1 (2021)

Section

Articles

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