BEYOND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS AND GENDER: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PARENTAL ATTITUDES AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN ILORIN, KWARA STATE

Abstract

Parental attitudes play a critical role in the successful implementation and management of inclusive education for children with physical disabilities. However, dominant explanations often emphasize socio-economic status and gender, with limited attention to other influential factors in Nigerian contexts. This study moves beyond these traditional variables by examining parental attitudes toward the education of children with physical disabilities in Ilorin South and Ilorin West Local Government Areas of Kwara State, Nigeria, while identifying additional determinants. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, involving 150 parents of physically challenged secondary school students selected through multistage sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (ANOVA) at a 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that parents generally exhibited positive attitudes toward the education of children with physical disabilities (grand mean = 2.24), although their active involvement remained relatively low (mean = 2.10, SD = 0.91). Results further showed that neither gender (p = 0.825) nor socio-economic status (p = 0.525) significantly influenced parental attitudes. However, parental level of education emerged as a significant determinant (p = 0.018), with more educated parents demonstrating more positive attitudes. The study therefore highlights the need for education managers and policymakers to prioritize parent-focused sensitization programmes, community-based awareness initiatives, and adult education interventions as strategic tools for strengthening the management and implementation of inclusive education in Kwara State