SPECIAL ISSUE 1 July 2026
DOI DOI: 10.66434/ijsie.v1i1si.528

Beyond deficit thinking: Towards a holistic and Ubuntu framework for inclusive education

Appolonia Masunungure1, Newlin Marongwe 1
  1. 1 North-West University, South Africa

Abstract

Inclusive education has emerged globally as a transformative response to historical patterns of exclusion and inequality in schooling, aiming to ensure equitable access, participation, and meaningful learning for all learners regardless of disability, socioeconomic status, or cultural background. However, many school practices remain shaped by deficit thinking, particularly the medical model, which locates educational difficulties within individual learners. This conceptual explanatory paper identifies and discusses themes on how inclusive education can move beyond deficit-oriented approaches towards more holistic and Ubuntu-informed frameworks. Adopting a typological design systematically compares three approaches to inclusive education: the medical deficit model, a holistic approach, and an Ubuntu framework, through a critical analysis of relevant literature. The study develops a holistic Ubuntu-informed conceptual framework that clarifies teachers’ roles and responsibilities in diverse inclusive classrooms and focuses on values such as interconnectedness, dignity, and mutual care. In doing so, it advocates for inclusive practices that honour learners’ strengths and relational identities and calls on teachers and other stakeholders to uphold Ubuntu principles in everyday pedagogical decision-making.

How to Cite

Masunungure, A., & Marongwe , N. (2026). Beyond deficit thinking: Towards a holistic and Ubuntu framework for inclusive education. International Journal of Studies in Inclusive Education, 1(1si), 54–62. https://doi.org/10.66434/ijsie.v1i1si.528
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