Browsing by Author "Kambasha, Stephanie Kambasha"

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    Primary caregivers' perceptions of why their school-aged children with physical disabilities are not attending formal schools in Mabvuku, a high- density location in Harare
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12) Kambasha, Stephanie Kambasha; Kahonde, Callista K.; Geiger, Martha; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Centre for Rehabilitation Studies.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY : Aim of the study - Children with disabilities face barriers to accessing education and there is a gap in literature reporting the perceptions of caregivers regarding the reasons for these children not getting access to education on par with their age mates. This study aimed to explore and describe the perceptions of primary caregivers of children with physical disabilities residing in Mabvuku, a high-density area in Harare, on why these children are not attending formal school. Method - This was a descriptive phenomenological study that subjectively explored the perceptions of five mothers of children with disabilities who lived in Mabvuku. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were used for data collection and thematic data analysis was used to analyse the data. Findings - The findings revealed that financial challenges were the main reason these mothers were not sending their children with disabilities to formal schools. The fact that the schools are physically located far from Mabvuku was also reported as a barrier as travelling with the child to school using public transport posed financial and access challenges. Physical access to the formal schools was also a factor hindering the children from attending school as the infrastructure was not easily accessible to children with disabilities and there is also a limited number of special schools that can accommodate these children. Lastly, the child’s disability was also presented as a challenge by the mothers because of the limitations of the impairment and the fact that some were not comfortable leaving their child in the care of someone else, especially with the negative attitudes they experienced from the community. Conclusion - The study gave an insight into the challenges faced by the mothers which resulted in them not sending their children with disabilities to school. The mothers live with their children with disabilities in poverty. They require support from the government and other relevant stakeholders to improve their circumstances which will impact positively on their children’s chances to attend school. Recommendations were made for policy makers and disability practitioners in Zimbabwe.