Teacher Preparedness for Inclusive Vocational Education: A Critical Realist, Multi-Level Analysis of Basic Prevocational Skill Course Implementation in Namibia

The study investigates teacher preparedness for inclusive vocational and prevocational curriculum implementation in low- and middle-income contexts, using Namibia’s Basic Prevocational Skills Course (BPVSC) as a case. It examines how teachers understand and enact preparedness when implementing inclusive policy reforms under constrained resources and uneven institutional support. A multi-level, theory-informed framework is used to analyse the interaction between teachers’ beliefs and perceived capability, school-level leadership and collegial norms, and system-level policy and resourcing conditions. The study advances scholarship on inclusive education by clarifying how preparedness is shaped by psychological, organisational, and systemic factors, and by identifying implications for teacher professional learning and the development of sustainable inclusive vocational pathways.Note: The data analysed in this study can be obtained from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.