Training Teachers in Special Needs Education in Tanzania: A Long and Challenging Ordeal to Inclusion

Abstract

This study examined the training of special education teachers in Tanzania. Specifically it aimed at providing in brief, the history and the challenges that Tanzania is facing in the training of special education teachers. Fifteen special education teachers, five females and ten males, were interviewed. The results showed that Tanzania faced a plethora of challenges in the area of teacher training in special education. The challenges include lack of teaching and learning materials, few trained teachers, teacher attrition, negative attitudes, barrier to information, and inaccessible environment. The participants provided some recommendations to the government, which included training more teachers, removal of barriers to accessibility, curricular modification and motivating teachers in various ways.

Keywords: Special needs education, disability, inclusive education, teacher education