Awareness Levels of Key Stakeholders in Ensuring the Right to Education for Children With Disabilities in Primary Schools of Arsi Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Education is broadly recognized as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of individual and social development, as clearly stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and reinforced by subsequent international conventions. Accordingly, states have an obligation to ensure free, compulsory, and non-discriminatory primary education for all children, including children with disabilities. This study investigated the awareness levels of key stakeholders school leaders, teachers, and local education authorities regarding the educational rights of children with disabilities in Arsi Zone. A mixed-methods research design was employed. Quantitative data were analyzed using independent-samples t-tests, partial correlation test, cross-tabulations, and Chi-square tests, while qualitative data were generated through interviews and focus group discussions to tap stakeholders’ lived experiences. The quantitative findings revealed generally low awareness levels among respondents, with significant differences between school leaders and teachers across four variables (p < .001). However, no significant difference was observed for Item 5 (p = .947). Generally mean scores ranged from 1.32 to 4.58, indicating inadequate understanding of disability related educational rights. Partial correlation test and Chi-square results further confirmed significant relationships and association respectively between awareness creation, leadership commitment, and parental attitudes, suggesting that improved awareness facilitates the identification and enrollment of children with disabilities, while weak advocacy and limited outreach contribute to their continued exclusion. Qualitative findings reinforced the statistical results, indicating to the absence of sustained awareness initiatives, inadequate institutional capacity, and weak community engagement as key barriers. The study concludes that strengthening continuous professional development, promoting community-based advocacy, and enhancing accountability mechanisms are critical to translating awareness into effective enforcement of the right to education for children with disabilities in line with Education for All and Sustainable Development Goal 4.