Chitiyo publishes book for African educators

Dr. Jonathan Chitiyo, associate professor of education at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, has published a new book about teaching children with special needs in Africa.

Chitiyo, who is from Zimbabwe, studied three countries: Ghana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, where he investigated how teachers are taught to support students with special needs.

The book highlights the global issue of teacher shortages, particularly in countries with developing economies, which endure the most of this challenge.

“The first thing schools across Africa need to meet the needs of students with special needs is an adequate supply of well-trained teachers,” Chitiyo said. 

Chitiyo wrote “Discussions of Inclusive Education within African Contexts” to help current and future teachers learn the best ways to support children with special needs in mainstream classrooms. These children make up 10 percent of kids in Eastern and Southern Africa, according to UNICEF, and they continue to be marginalized in their education.

“This highlights the urgent need for better teacher training programs and resources to support these children and ensure they receive an inclusive education,” Chitiyo said. “I wrote it as a resource for teachers, parents, and policy makers, and it talks about the best practices that can be used in schools to create inclusive and supportive learning environments for all students, particularly for students with special needs.

He also talked about the need for more funding for schools and public awareness campaigns. “Just like anywhere, some people hold negative attitudes toward disability, and these attitudes negatively affect the educational experience of students in many ways,” he said.

UNICEF reports that children with special needs in southern and eastern Africa are more likely to be sick, miss school, and are less likely to read or be read to at home compared to other children.

“This is quite discouraging considering that most countries have registered their commitment to the education of students with special needs through their ratification of several international frameworks such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education,” Chitiyo said. “These commitments should ideally translate into better support and inclusion for children with special needs in education systems worldwide.”

Chitiyo is the director of teacher education at Pitt-Bradford. He holds a doctorate in special education and a Master of Science in Education in curriculum and instruction from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He earned his bachelor’s degree in environmental studies at Africa University in Zimbabwe.

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