The influence of government support and teacher training on the teaching of special needs learners in Kenya’s public primary schools

Abstract

Governments devote considerable amounts of budgetary allocation to education globally. One area which receives considerable attention is teacher training. However, for special needs education, there is often a lack of specialised training for teachers, which can have a significant impact on the quality of education and support provided to learners with special needs. It is from this perspective that this study was designed to assess how government support and teacher training influence the teaching of learners with special needs in

public primary schools in Kenya. The article is an extract of a study that was conducted in the Machakos Sub- County of Kenya in 2022. The study was based on Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory and used a

descriptive survey research method. The target population was 71 head teachers, 802 teachers, and one curriculum support officer for special needs. The study had a sample size of 80 teachers, three head teachers, and one curriculum support officer for special needs. Data was collected through the use of questionnaires for the teachers, an interview schedule for head teachers, and one curriculum support officer for special needs education. The results show that financial government support for special needs education is inadequate and untimely. The Constituency Development Fund contribution was deemed the most impactful. The study concluded that most facilities in public primary schools were not suitable for use by learners with special needs. The study also concludes that there is a training gap among teachers on SNE. The study thus recommended that the government review SNE policies on funding and SNE teacher training as well as reconsider the capitation for learners with special needs. Further, the study recommends that the Teachers Service Commission to increase the number of SNE teachers in all the schools in order to ensure better teaching and learning outcomes for learners with special needs.