ABSTRACT
Extending access to quality education is part of a worldwide agenda because schooling is seen as being crucial to human, economic and social development goals and because so many children do not have access to schooling (UNESCO, 2005). There are many reasons why children do not attend school, including high levels of mobility and migration, social conflict, child labour and exploitation, poverty, gender and disability. In some parts of the world, schooling is not available because of a shortage of school places, a lack of quality teachers, or because schools are too far from where children live. Sometimes families do not send children to school because of fears about safety and security, especially of girls, or because of the cost. Such costs include fees, uniforms, transport, books and materials, and the so-called “opportunity costs” that arise when children are not economically active because they are in school. Children are more likely to attend school if they receive a high-quality education. Therefore, increasing participation in schooling is not only about increasing school places and training more teachers, it also depends on improving the quality of teaching. Central to this task is the development of ITE programs so that teachers are prepared to respond to diversity and can support inclusion.
