CONTRIBUTION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION ON PERFORMANCE OF LEARNERS WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF RWANDA A CASE OF KICUKIRO DISTRICT

Background: Inclusive Education is problematic in several countries including Rwanda and has been held back by a number of factors including negative attitudes towards people with disabilities. School administrators and teachers have not sufficient skills so that they can manage inclusive schools and it requires several and regular training to be equipped with necessary knowledge and get sensitized on how to introduce inclusive practices. The study examined the contribution of inclusive education on performance of learners with learning difficulties in Rwandan public primary schools especially in Kicukiro District. To examine the level of implementation of inclusive education to the performance of learners with learning difficulties in public primary schools, to assess the performance of learners with learning difficulties in public primary schools in general education, to establish the relationship between inclusive education and the performance of learners with learning difficulties in public primary schools. The target population of this research was 240 population, from which a sample size of 148 respondents chosen as the participants of the study were 70 parents of learners with disabilities from public primary schools selected 69 teachers, 6 head teachers and 3 sector educational inspectors of 3 sectors of Kicukiro District. Nine respondents (6 HTs and 3 SEIs) were sampled using a purposive sampling technique, while 148 respondents (69 teachers and 70 parents of learners with disabilities) were selected using a simple random sampling. Methods and Methodology: This study used a survey research design with questionnaires as instruments of data collection and guided interview. The SPSS version 2.0, Logical analysis and Microsoft Excel 2010 was used in description and interpretation of results via tables, chart and figures. The researcher provided recommendations and conclusions depending on the findings of the research. Results: The findings showed that the effort put in the implementation of inclusive education practices and their relationship between inclusive education and performance contributed to the learners achievement as 95% of teachers and 89% of the head teachers with SEIs, they assumed there was a close relationship between inclusive education and learners performance because one affected the other one. Conclusion: It is recommended to the ministry of education of Rwanda (MINEDUC), to include the contents and strategies that facilitate teaching and learning processes for learners with learning difficulties at all level of education. The further research should consider collecting data via observational methods, fieldwork, and classroom visits to check if the competencies that this study identified are indeed being applied in Rwandas classrooms.