Exploring the congruence between Bhutanese teachers' views about inclusion, gross national happiness, and Buddhism

Abstract

Adopting a social constructionist approach, this chapter reports how teachers’ views about inclusion are influenced and shaped by the historical, social, cultural and educational context of Bhutan. Using qualitative methodology, sixteen teachers from seven inclusive schools (termed ‘SEN Schools’) in Bhutan were interviewed. Findings showed that teachers’ views reflected concepts of Gross National Happiness (GNH) and Buddhism; and there was congruence between the concepts of GNH, Buddhist beliefs and the values of inclusive education. The findings highlight how teachers’ commitment to GNH informs their understanding of inclusive education policy and initiatives. Our findings indicate that the Bhutanese government could continue prioritizing GNH education in schools and develop more explicit links to a Bhutanese implementation of inclusive education.