Does Inclusive Education Actually Matter in Fostering Sustainability and Building Capacity among Diverse Learners?

Abstract: Inclusive education has been identified as a major pathway for breaking barriers to quality education for all, despite the challenges it faces in its implementation. One of the key drivers, if not the major driver, of sustainable development in every nation is human resources. To equip human resources to take up this responsibility, every individual should be given equal opportunity and access to quality education, irrespective of their learning needs. This paper discusses the role of inclusive education in advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4, 5, 10, and 8 to promote capacity building among diverse learners. Proponents of inclusive education argue that it promotes social relationships and community building, provides access and unconditional acceptance, creates goals based on individual ability and needs, fosters motivation through peer connections, supports parent involvement, and promotes an atmosphere of respect and belonging for every child. On the other hand, it was revealed that, as welcoming as it is, inclusive education is bedeviled by critical challenges such as a lack of teacher training in inclusive education, inadequate facilities and learning materials, limited support services, a rigid curriculum structure, inadequate infrastructure, and policy barriers. This paper argues that, despite these challenges, inclusive education implementation matters for achieving the SDGs 4, 5, 10, and 8, which, in turn, would promote capacity building among diverse learners towards a purposeful life in society.