Assessing the School Agenda on Inclusive Education: What is the Intake of South African Teachers?
Thanduxolo Albert Nomtshongwana 
, Andrea Mqondiso & Pateka Pamella Jama
Issue: Vol.6 No.11 Article 1 pp.2729 – 2744
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256111 | Published online 23rd October, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
The South African education system has been perceived to have deteriorated to lower rates in the world. While there might be various factors at play, such as teacher workloads and continuously changing curriculum policies, for instance, one wonders how teachers are supported for the effective implementation of inclusive education (IE) for the benefit of learners with barriers (LEBLs) who are in mainstream schools (MSs). The study thus adopted and engaged a qualitative approach and case study design for data collection, from a small purposefully selected sample of 5 principals and 15 teachers through individual interviews. The paper reports on thematically analysed data, which reveal that: majority of principals and teachers were not proficient enough with IE policy documents. Furthermore, they did not receive sufficient training on the IE policy, nor were they oriented on how to cope with high workloads. This paper advocates the Teacher Support Inclusive Collaboration (TESIC) Model, which can assist in IE implementation.
Keywords: South African Education System, MSs, TESIC Model, Inclusive Education (IE), LEBLs, Support, Commitment.
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Thanduxolo Albert Nomtshongwana serves as a lecturer at the Faculty of Education at Walter Sisulu University in Mthatha, located in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. In his current role, he specializes in continuing professional teacher development, where he is dedicated to enhancing the skills and competencies of teachers. His research focuses on educational leadership and management, specifically understanding teachers’ stressors in psychological education. By exploring educational dynamics, he aims to address teachers’ challenges and enhance teaching practices and student outcomes.
Andrea Mqondiso Buka is currently a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Education in the continuing professional teacher development at Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa. His research focuses on inclusive education and educational management and policy, especially psycho-pedagogical research.
Dr Pateka Pamella Jama is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychological Education at North-West University, Potchefstroom campus. Her fields of specialisation are Inclusive Education and Learner Support.
Nomtshongwana, Thanduxolo Albert, Andrea Mqondiso and Pateka Pamella Jama .“ Assessing the School Agenda on Inclusive Education: What is the Intake of South African Teachers?” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 10 (2025): 2729-2744, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256111
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
