Implementation of inclusive education as experienced by immigrant learners of diverse backgrounds in South Africa

The rise in global migration means that immigrant learners have become an integral part of the South African schooling system. Educational transformation in South Africa has made diversity in schools a norm, with many schools having varied learners in terms of race, language, ethnicity, religion and culture. The move towards inclusive education should guarantee all learners, irrespective of their background, quality education. In this article I document the journey of immigrant learners in the context of South African schooling considering how inclusive their schooling experiences have been. The research was conducted at 2 primary schools (1 private and 1 public) in Durban using a qualitative, interpretive paradigm, narrative inquiry, a visual method, and semi-structured interviews to generate participants’ narratives. The findings highlight the pressure experienced in the face of prejudice, discrimination and antagonism from local peers and teachers, which impeded immigrant learners’ adaptation and success. The research also highlights the language barrier for those participants with limited proficiency in English. While the resilience of the immigrant learners is foregrounded, the findings highlight that inclusive education is not a reality for all schools in South Africa.