A Review of the Policies Guiding Inclusive Practices in Nigerian Schools: Path to Functional Learning for SEN-D and Neurotypical Learners

Abstract

This paper gives a prelude to the situational occurrences in inclusive/mainstream schools, with respect to the pedagogical approaches practised recently. It gives an historical genealogy of special education needs, which began with the interventions of the missionaries and later sponsored by the philanthropies in Nigeria. The progress made by these interventions captured the government’s interest and spurred an action that led to the development of intended regulatory standards of policies for the purpose of regulating the practices. Although the policies (Special Education Needs and Inclusive Practices) and other adjoining policies highlighted the basic requirements for standard practices, they are void of the standard pedagogical procedures that capture the entire domains considered during inclusive practices. This paper provides a critical review of the content of policies guiding inclusive practices in Nigerian schools. It reviews the effects in relation to the pedagogy relevance among SEN-D & neurotypical learners. It highlights major setbacks that affects academics functionality and provides systematic guides for attaining functional learning. These, the paper provides as recommendation for the update of the policies guiding inclusive practices in Nigeria.