West is best? A post-colonial perspective on the implementation of inclusive education in Botswana

A large number of learners with Special Educational Needs (SENs) do not have access to even the most basic education in developing countries. To address this issue, United Nations organizations promoted the concept of inclusive education policies in developing countries. This concept was initiated in Western countries in the 1980s: with globalization and active participation of international donor agencies, the idea of inclusive education gained significant currency globally. However, in many cases, the inclusive education policy was imposed on the education system of many developing countries by international donor agencies. This study uses a post-colonial perspective to understand how this Western concept was implemented in former colonized countries, with a specific focus on Botswana. Thirty-six teachers from six primary schools in the South Central Region of Botswana participated in six focus group discussions. Data from the focus group discussions were triangulated with classroom observations and related documents. The analysis highlights a complex and contradictory phenomenon, where policies are mostly implemented as a top-down approach and teachers' indigenous knowledge is poorly recognized.