AID, ATTITUDES AND AMBIVALENCE: THE IMPACT OF AUSTRALIAN AID IN THE INTRODUCTION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVES IN THE REPUBLIC OF KIRIBATI Rodney Brian Yates Bachelor of Arts, Diploma in Education (University of NSW) Master of Arts (Macquarie University) Master of Analytical Psychology (University of Western Sydney) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Education Queensland University of Technology 2018 Keywords Australian Aid, Critical Pedagogy, Developing Countries, Development Aid, Inclusive Education, Kiribati, Pacific Island Nations Aid, Attitudes and Ambivalence: the impact of Australian Aid in the introduction and sustainability of inclusive education initiatives in the Republic of Kiribati i Abstract Foreign aid is political; donor governments set the agenda and oversee the use of aid in developing nations. Inclusive education is a socio-political construct emerging from the human rights movements in developed countries. This study examines the research questions of dependency on Australian Aid and local ownership/sustainability in the introduction of inclusive education initiatives in Kiribati through data analysis of documents, individual interview responses and school-based focus group discussions. The participants were key local stakeholders from both the aid recipient and donor viewpoints for the individual interviews and classroom teachers for the focus groups. The document analysis focused on the Kiribati Inclusive Education Policy (2015). Adherence to international (western) principles was predominant in the policy which was developed with significant input from external advisers. Process and values coding was used to examine the individual interviews and focus group responses. These responses indicted that a positive commitment towards inclusive education is emerging in Kiribati, particularly for local education professionals. Australian Aid funded inclusive education initiatives have provided advocacy for disadvantaged children in Kiribati, particularly children with disabilities, who have historically been excluded from school. Without Australian Aid support, initiatives to address this social justice issue may not have occurred through local processes. The process of introducing inclusive education initiatives, through the Australian Aid funded education project, has incorporated elements of Freire's Critical Pedagogy to generate critical dialogue to re-evaluate values and issues. There is a question as to whether this dialogue is generating local ownership for inclusive education or simply echoing an adherence to western (Australian) values of inclusion in education. Inclusive education initiatives remain dependent on Australian Aid for direction and sustainability. Sustainability of inclusive education initiatives in Kiribati will depend on continued development of local ownership including community support and commitment by the Government of Kiribati, particularly budgetary support. Aid, Attitudes and Ambivalence: the impact of Australian Aid in the introduction and sustainability of inclusive education initiatives in the Republic of Kiribati ii Table of Contents Keywords .................................................................................................................................. i Abstract .................................................................................................................................... ii Table of contents ..................................................................................................................... iii List of figures .......................................................................................................................... vi List of tables ........................................................................................................................... vii List of abbreviations ............................................................................................................. viii Statement of original authorship ............................................................................................. ix Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................x Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................ 1 1.1 Foreign aid and inclusive Education ...................................................................................2 1.2 The researcher .....................................................................................................................7 1.3 Purpose ................................................................................................................................8 1.4 Method ..............................................................................................................................11 1.5 Significance.......................................................................................................................12 1.6 Thesis overview ................................................................................................................13 Chapter 2: Literature Review ................................................................................. 15 2.1 Topic 1: The contradictions and dilemmas of foreign aid in a globalised world ..............15 2.1.1 Political and economic influences on aid provisions ...........................................16 2.1.2 Neo-liberalism and globalisation .........................................................................18 2.1.3 Human rights approaches ....................................................................................20 2.1.4 Aid effectiveness and accountability ...................................................................22 2.1.5 Neo-colonial control ............................................................................................24 2.1.6 Neo-liberal influence on education ......................................................................25 2.1.7 The professionalisation of aid support .................................................................26 2.1.8 Local ownership and participation .......................................................................29 2.1.9 Foreign aid complexity and control .....................................................................31 2.2 Topic 2: Inclusive education as a global socio-political issue ..........................................32 2.2.1 Inclusive education as a universal principle or an ill-defined concept ................32 2.2.2 Values, human rights and social justice ...............................................................34 2.2.3 The ‘Other’ as a view of individual and cultural difference ................................37 2.2.4 Community, a support or barrier to inclusive education? ....................................38 2.2.5 The challenges of a systems approach to inclusive education .............................40 2.2.6 UN, ‘champion’ of global inclusive education rhetoric.......................................43 2.2.7 Criticism of UN and development initiatives for inclusive education .................45 2.2.8 Education for All and the UN Development Goals an ongoing challenge .........47 2.2.9 Implications of the ratification of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for inclusive education in Kiribati ...........................................51 2.2.10 Inclusive education policy development ............................................................53 2.2.11 Inclusive education and foreign aid...…………………………………...... 55 2.2.12 What is inclusive education and its relevance in developing countries? ...........57 2.3 Topic 3: Australian foreign aid and inclusive education in the Pacific ............................58 Aid, Attitudes and Ambivalence: the impact of Australian Aid in the introduction and sustainability of inclusive education initiatives in the Republic of Kiribati iii 2.3.1 Australian Government directions and re-directions .......................................... 59 2.3.2 Criticisms and cutbacks ...................................................................................... 60 2.3.3 Development for All: Australia’s disability-inclusive strategies ........................ 62 2.3.4 Australian Aid for inclusive education in the Pacific region .............................. 64 2.3.5 Inclusiveness in the Pacific ................................................................................. 66 2.3.6 Pacific policy commitments towards inclusive education .................................. 68 2.3.7 Australian Aid in Kiribati .................................................................................... 70 2.3.8 Kiribati culture and inclusion .............................................................................. 72 2.3.9 Inclusive education in Kiribati ............................................................................ 73 2.3.10 Inclusive education policy development in Kiribati.......................................... 76 2.4 Topic 4: Summary and implications from Chapter 2 ....................................................... 80 Chapter 3: Theoretical Framework ........................................................................ 83 3.1 Critical Theory ................................................................................................................. 83 3.2