Ntiruka, Venancia John2020-03-192020-03-192016Ntiruka, V. J. (2016) Challenges of accessing inclusive education by children with disabilities in Kasulu district, Tanzania, Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaamhttp://41.86.178.5:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/7889Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF LC4043.T34N764)The aim of this study was to explore the challenges of accessing inclusive education by children with disabilities (CWDs) in Tanzanian Primary Schools particularly in Kasulu district. The study was guided by four objectives which were; firstly, to investigate the economic challenges of accessing inclusive education by children with disabilities in Tanzanian primary schools; secondly, to examine the school related factors that are the challenges of accessing the inclusive education by children with disabilities in Tanzanian primary schools; thirdly, to investigate the Tanzanian social-cultural challenges of accessing inclusive education by children with disabilities in primary schools and fourthly, to examine how the Tanzanian Education Policy poses a challenge in accessing the inclusive education by children with disabilities. The study employed intensively a descriptive case study design that is found in qualitative research approach. The study involved six sampled inclusive schools. A total of 104 respondents were involved including; teachers both (regular and special needs education primary school teachers), six Heads of school, pupils (both those with or without disabilities), CWDs who were not enrolled in school, parents, education officers from the Special Education Unit of both the Kasulu District level and the MoEVT. The findings revealed that, there were a lot of challenges that faced the children with disabilities in accessing the inclusive education. These included economic challenges which were revealed through house hold poverty and national poverty. The school-related factors were mainly; lack of teaching and Learning materials as well as supportive materials specifically for the CWDs, shortage of trained SNETs, lack of motivation to teachers, unfriendly school's physical infrastructures, lack/shortage of meals at school, long distance from home to school, the primary school curriculum which does not meet the needs of the CWDs according to their disability types. The social-cultural challenges were: isolation and stigmatization by some members of the society such as parents and peers to CWDs, negative traditional beliefs towards CWDs, lack of peace and security, low level of awareness/education among parents, care givers and other community members on the rights of the CWDs as well as their negative attitude towards the CWDs. The Tanzanian Policy was also found to be posing a challenge to the CWDs accessibility to IE service in the way it is being formulated, implemented and how it is being monitored and evaluated. Therefore, EFA is hardly achieved by the Tanzanian government since all the challenges mentioned hinder the CWDs accessibility to IE service. The government in collaboration with various educational stakeholders should make sure that all the challenges are addressed to, by mainly allocating enough fund to the IE service, educating the community on every individual's right including the CWDs' rights and designing the curriculum that fits the needs of every category of learners.enChildren with disabilitiesEducationInclusive EducationKasulu districtTanzaniaThesis