Page 43 - RUICHSS 2023 Proceeding

University of Ruhuna ISSN: 2706-0063
Matara, Sri Lanka

provide opportunities, to give chances, to accept, and it is up to the students

themselves to decide if they want to "declare" themselves as belonging to a
marginalised group and take advantage of the support we offer. If they do, it is a

sign that we are on the right track. Likewise, if we notice a continuing reluctance
of students to "declare" themselves, we should look into possible reasons why they
might not feel safe or comfortable enough to do so.

If universities embrace student diversity, unpack the details about it, and engage in
cooperation with students, many possible solutions can be created (e.g., enrolment
quotas, enrolment priority, scholarships and cost subsidies, housing, transportation

support system, psychological, academic, career, and other support). There is no
one-size-fits-all approach, and regardless of the struggles, universities can always
find a way to give underrepresented students equitable access to a life-changing

educational experience and support them in that (Hovhannisyan, 2021).

We must be completely honest in what we do. If we strip education of the social

experience, the relationship between teachers and students, all that remains is
fragmented teaching. Education does not exist outside of relationships and reality.
We are talking about the hidden curriculum, a concept introduced by researcher

Phillip Jackson in 1968 (Betkowski, 2023). The hidden curriculum is what
educators convey to students through their interactions, by their example, and the
school or classroom culture without being aware of it; it consists of unspoken

values, beliefs, norms, and culture, including inclusion. If we do not treat our
students as we teach them to treat others, our teaching is not authentic, valid, or
persuasive. If we ourselves are not inclusive, we cannot teach and persuade anyone

to practice inclusion.

So, we all need to make decisions in our areas for which we are responsible and

make the necessary changes to promote inclusion. These changes must come from

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