The hollow promise of disability legislation in Africa: education transitions for students with disabilities

Despite global and national frameworks on inclusive education, many African children with disabilities remain excluded and often unsupported at key points in their education journeys. This article examines the topic of educational transitions, focusing on two African countries, Ghana and Kenya. Both countries have disability legislation in place and possess varying levels of enforcement, policy maturity, and access to education. However, the gaps between legal ideals and lived experiences continue to undermine the educational journeys of learners with disabilities. In Ghana, the challenges include limited program choices, inaccessible facilities, stigma, and limited funding. In Kenya, learners remain in special education institutions for longer periods without transitioning, and teacher preparedness for inclusion remains low. The cases of Ghana and Kenya differ in timelines and structures but reveal extremely similar systemic issues. Investment in policy implementation is needed if we truly aim to achieve inclusive education.