Education is education if it is available to everyone

Abstract

Abstract Inclusive education is often celebrated as a universal human right, yet for many learners with undiagnosed learning difficulties, systemic barriers render this promise hollow. This paper critically interrogates the assumptions underlying inclusive education policies in South Africa, revealing how reliance on formal diagnoses invisibilises diverse learning needs and perpetuates exclusion. Drawing on Ubuntu philosophy and resilience theory, this study engages a documentary analysis of key policy texts to explore how dominant discourses limit the transformative potential of inclusion. The analysis emphasises the urgent need to reframe inclusion through culturally grounded, community‐driven paradigms that transcend deficit models of disability. While situated in South Africa's post‐colonial context, the findings illuminate global challenges in reconceptualising inclusive education, offering new possibilities for pedagogical thought and practice across diverse educational landscapes.