Curriculum gaps in pre-service teacher preparation for inclusive education in Ghana: teacher educators' perspectives

Abstract

Inclusive education is a global policy priority. Such education requires teacher education programs to provide pre-service teachers with the skills, attitudes, and knowledge required to support diverse students in inclusive classrooms. In Ghana, recent reforms have transformed the initial teacher education requirement for basic schoolteachers from a three-year diploma into a four-year bachelor of education, with inclusive education positioned as an important component of teacher preparation. However, questions remain regarding how effectively the reformed curriculum prepares pre-service teachers to implement inclusive practices in classroom settings. This study explores teacher educators' perspectives on Ghana's reformed initial teacher education curriculum and its role in preparing pre-service teachers to offer inclusive education. Following a qualitative research design, data were collected through focus group discussions with 10 teacher educators: eight from colleges of education who are directly involved in training pre-service teachers, and two working in affiliated universities. The data were analyzed using reflective thematic analysis. The focus groups revealed that, while the reform has increased the visibility of inclusive education, significant gaps remain in the depth, duration, organization, and practical orientation of the curriculum. Participants reported that inclusive education content is too narrowly focused on disability identification—particularly visible disability categories—with limited attention to broader student diversity, inclusive pedagogy, and classroom-based strategies. The findings also highlight curriculum overload, limited opportunities for experiential learning, and a disconnect between reform aspirations and curriculum implementation. The findings suggest that strengthening inclusive teacher preparation in Ghana requires more coherent curriculum design, institutional support, and expanded opportunities for practice-based learning.