(CBE), Early Grade Reading, ECD programmes, Cash Transfers and Secondary School Bursary, among others. 97. These initiatives lay a foundation for the development and implementation of inclusive education in the country. Despite these significant initiatives, there are fundamental challenges affecting successful implementation of inclusive education in Malawi. The challenges range from conceptualization of inclusive education, management, resource mobilization, capacity development and implementation. A few studies conducted on inclusive education in Malawi have shown that there is limited knowledge around the meaning of inclusive education at different levels. Mostly, the concept of inclusive education is often linked with children with disabilities in mainstream schools. 98. However, the concept of inclusive education has a broader meaning and does not only refer to a single group of learners in an education system. In essence, National Strategy on Inclusive Education is concerned with all those who are usually excluded from and within the education system. This National Strategy adopts the UNESCO’s broadened definition of inclusive education to address the barriers to equal access to quality education in Malawi. It defines inclusive education as a process of addressing and responding to the diverse needs of all learners through increasing participation in learning and reducing exclusion within and from education system. It involves changes and modifications in content, approaches, structures, policies and strategies. In keeping with this conceptualization, the National Strategy outlines the priority areas of action and explores factors that inhibit presence, participation and learning in the education system and suggests ways of addressing them. 99. The following are the objectives of the National Inclusive Education Strategy:  Transformation of the education system in alignment with inclusive education policies and practices.  Capacity development for inclusive education.  Creation of an enabling environment for inclusive education.  Inclusive teaching and learning in schools. 29

Select target paragraph3