The Role of Parents in the Education of their Children with Disabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Critical Review of the Literature

Abstract

Parents of children with disabilities (CWDs) play important and varied roles in their children’s education. Policies, including the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), underscore the need for parent-teacher partnerships to improve a child’s learning environment. This paper explores the extent to which countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have integrated the UNCRPD’s tenets on parental involvement in inclusive education into their own cultural contexts. To achieve this, the paper analyzes the literature written on parents of CWDs in the Sub-Saharan context to identify the different conceptualizations of the roles played by parents in the education of their CWDs. Findings of the literature review reflect consistent barriers faced by and responsibilities expected of parents of CWDs in educational settings. Future research should focus directly on parents of CWDs’ experiences in schools.