Primary School Teachers' Attitudes towards Pupils with Epilepsy: The Zimbabwean Experience and Implications for Practice

The study sought to investigate and determine primary school teachers’ attitudes towards pupils living with epilepsy in Chirau South Cluster of Zvimba District in Mashonaland West Province. A survey research design was adopted. Teacher Attitude Questionnaire (TAQ) was the main data gathering instrument. Interviews were also used to supplement TAQ data. A sample of fifteen (N=15) primary school teachers was randomly selected from a population of sixty (60) teachers. Percentages were used to report the findings. The study found out that, although teachers’ attitudes towards pupils living with epilepsy were generally positive, there were significant deficiencies in terms of general knowledge about epilepsy, its impact in educational settings and the appropriate management of epilepsy and seizures in the classroom. The study recommends that teacher training programmes include in their curriculum issues to do with epilepsy to conscientise and equip teachers with knowledge and skills on how to manage epileptic attacks in their classroom environments.