Exploring teachers' readiness for inclusive education in a Lesotho rural school: Agentic capability theory analysis

High poverty levels in Lesotho's rural areas present unique challenges that hinder effective inclusive education, emphasising the need to explore how inclusive practices address Sustainable Development Goal 4 in this context. This paper investigates the readiness of teachers to facilitate inclusive education in a rural school in Lesotho. Utilising agentic capability theory within an interpretive paradigm, the study employs an arts-based research design to examine the perceptions, knowledge, and experiences of teachers regarding inclusive education policies and their implications for teacher preparation. Data were generated through photovoice and focus group discussions with ten teachers engaged in teaching within inclusive rural school settings in Lesotho. The thematic analysis revealed several constraints in implementing inclusive education, including a lack of financial support and parental involvement, consistent with challenges identified in existing literature. The study emphasises the importance of strengthening stakeholder collaboration and leveraging local resources to support inclusive practices. It argues that, while inclusive education is widely valued, its successful implementation requires recognising the pivotal role of rural agents in overcoming these challenges. The paper calls for a critical examination of rural education contexts, advocating for a framework based on agentic capability to challenge existing assumptions of rural inadequacy and promote the inclusion of all learners.