Inclusivity in early childhood education in Southern Africa: A Montessorian critique

Background: Early childhood education (ECE) in Southern Africa has gained increasing attention for its role in promoting educational equity. At the same time, inclusive education has been promoted across the region. Both ECE and inclusive education face challenges such as inadequate teacher training, limited infrastructure and sociocultural stigma. Research indicates that Montessori pedagogy shows promise as a catalyst for inclusivity in ECE. However, its application is associated with elite and private school settings, which obscures its inclusivity potential. Aim: This study examined how Montessori pedagogy can support inclusive ECE in Southern Africa. Setting: The study focused on four countries: Malawi, South Africa, Eswatini and Zimbabwe. Methods: The study employed policy analysis in a conceptual research framework to assess the relevance and adaptability of Montessori education for inclusive ECE. Results: Findings suggest that Montessori education has the potential to strengthen inclusivity in ECE. Achieving this requires adapting learning environments with local materials, integrating inclusive and community-centred practices and rethinking educator roles through modular and context-specific training. Conclusion: When reinterpreted with an emphasis on inclusivity, Montessori education can be a transformative approach for inclusive ECE. Realising this potential involves dismantling its elitist image. It also requires promoting culturally responsive adaptations and mainstreaming inclusive principles into policy, pedagogy and educator training. Contribution: This study contributes to the discourse on inclusive education by providing a regionally grounded argument for reimagining Montessori education as a tool for inclusivity in ECE. It offers policy-relevant insights into designing teacher education, learning environments and curricula that are community-responsive, accessible and inclusive.