Instructor insights into technical and vocational education and training for persons with disabilities in Zimbabwe’s vocational rehabilitation centres: towards reasonable accommodation in a low income context
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study examines TVET instructors’ experiences in Zimbabwe regarding the inclusion of PWDs, focusing on resource adequacy, instructional adaptations, and institutional compliance with International Labour Organization (ILO) inclusion standards. An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach was employed to explore the lived experiences of eleven (11) TVET instructors from three provinces. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and thematically analysed to identify key challenges and best practices for disability-inclusive Technical and Vocational Education and Training. Results indicate that TVET institutions face significant barriers to accommodating PWDs due to unadapted equipment, insufficiently sensitised instructors, and limited funding. Course choices are often determined by disability rather than interest, and industry engagement remains minimal, restricting job opportunities for graduates. Structural segregation persists, with Persons With Disabilities frequently placed in special institutions rather than in mainstream Technical and Vocational Education and Training centres. The study underscores the urgent need for investment in disability-friendly equipment, mandatory instructor training in inclusive teaching techniques, and stronger collaborations between Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions and industry. Institutional policies must move from segregating trainees by disability to providing adaptive learning support across all courses.
Source: African Identities
Authors: Raymond Taruvinga, Taruvinga Muzingili
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7208816635