Readiness of Primary School Mathematics Teachers for the Implementation of the Inclusive Education Programme

HRMARS - The Ministry of Education Malaysia, in ensuring that students with special needs receive equal learning rights in mainstream classrooms, has introduced the Inclusive Education Programme (IEP). The readiness of teachers in managing students’ learning needs holistically and effectively will determine the success of this programme. This study aims to examine the readiness level of primary school Mathematics teachers in implementing the Inclusive Education Programme (IEP), focusing on three main aspects: knowledge, skills, and attitudes. This survey study, which employed a quantitative approach, investigated 25 Chinese National-Type Primary Schools (SJKC) in the district of Pontian, Johor. An adapted online questionnaire was used for data collection. A total of 86 respondents were randomly selected from 112 Mathematics teachers using simple random sampling. Data were analysed using SPSS version 27.0. The findings indicated statistically significant differences in teachers’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes according to teaching experience. Teachers with longer teaching experience demonstrated higher levels of knowledge and more positive attitudes compared to those with less experience. These findings suggest that continuous training, professional guidance, and systematic support are essential to enhance the readiness of Mathematics teachers to implement inclusive education effectively.