Determinants of Academic Performance of Special Needs Students in Gurage Zone Primary Schools
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Abstract
The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the association of determinants affecting the academic performance of special needs students. The data were collected from randomly sampled 1,053 special needs students from three primary schools in the Gurage Zone via questionnaire. The chi-square test of association and binary logistic regression model were employed to analyze the data. The chi-square test results indicate that the academic performance of special needs students is significantly associated with socioeconomic variables (father's education level, mother's education level, father's occupation, mother's occupation, and being born with a disability); curriculum-related variables (academic performance improvement, rating of the current curriculum, curriculum support for friendly teaching, curriculum that allows for discussion, structured and accessible curriculum, and practical curriculum); support service variables (rating of support services, teacher understanding of the needs of special needs students, government support through bursary programs, peer support, specialists coming from institutions to mentor, donor funding for education, and regular guidance and counseling); and learning environment and resources (wheelchair ramps, wide doors, lighting, horseshoe seating arrangement, Braille, special sanitary facilities, landmarks for the blind, auditory rooms, adequate toilets, and flattened ground). Furthermore, the logistic regression model revealed that the variables: age, learning disability, emotional challenges, neurological disorders, being born with a disability, and mother's education level were statistically significant. These findings point to Ethiopia's challenges in achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
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