Comparative critical policy analysis of inclusive education in Czech Republic and Slovakia 30 years post-Czechoslovakia
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Inclusive education not only stands as a well-established domain within educational sciences but also serves as a crucial concept in international educational policies. The Czech Republic and Slovakia, both sharing the communist legacy of ideology-driven and segregated education, endeavoured to enhance the inclusivity of their educational policies by amending their Schools Acts, redefining the concept of special educational needs, and implementing the system of support measures in 2015 and 2023, respectively. This study employs critical policy analysis to examine inclusive education policies in these countries, focusing on legislative texts, national strategies, curricula, and ministerial reports. Despite the pro-inclusive intentions underpinning the policy reforms, both deficit (medical) and expertocratic (professionalism) discourses persist in the current educational policies of both countries. Furthermore, the intertwining of deficit-based perception with neoliberal discourse exacerbates the issue of inclusion, as schools grapple with pressures to conform to competitive standards and economic efficiency.
Source: Journal of Education Policy
Authors: Jozef Miškolci, Helena Vaďurová, Lenka Gajzlerová
Institution: Masaryk University
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4408634387