Jonathan Chitiyo published a book for African educators

Jonathan Chitiyo, associate professor of education at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, has published a new book about teaching children with disabilities in Africa.

Chitiyo, who is from Zimbabwe, studied three countries: Ghana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, where he investigated how teachers are taught to support students with special needs.

The book highlights the global issue of teacher shortages, particularly in countries with developing economies, which endure the most of this challenge.

“The first thing schools across Africa need to meet the needs of students with special needs is an adequate supply of well-trained teachers,” Chitiyo said.

Chitiyo said he wrote “Discussions of Inclusive Education within African Contexts” to help current and future teachers learn the best ways to support students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms. These children make up 10% of kids in Eastern and Southern Africa, according to UNICEF, and continue to be marginalized in their education.

“This highlights the urgent need for better teacher training programs and resources to support these children and ensure they receive an inclusive education,” Chitiyo said. “I wrote it as a resource for teachers, parents and policy makers, and it talks about the best practices that can be used in schools to create inclusive and supportive learning environments for all students, particularly for students with special needs.”

Chitiyo is the director of teacher education at Pitt-Bradford. He holds a doctorate in special education and a Master of Science in Education in curriculum and instruction from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He earned his bachelor’s degree in environmental studies at Africa University in Zimbabwe.