In the context of South Africa’s richly diverse yet historically divided society, true inclusive education must extend beyond access and participation to actively affirm cultural, linguistic, and identity diversity within the classroom. This article explores the intersections between multicultural education and inclusive education, arguing that multicultural education can and should be positioned as a key component of building inclusive schools that affirm and respond to learner diversity. While inclusive education in South Africa has often focused on addressing barriers to learning, particularly in relation to disability, this framing risks overlooking the socio-cultural exclusions that many learners experience based on race, language, ethnicity, religion, or migration status.

Multicultural education, with its emphasis on educational equity, cultural affirmation, and the transformation of schooling structures, offers powerful tools to extend inclusive practice in ways that are more responsive to the lived realities of South African learners. This article critically examines the principles of both inclusive and multicultural education, identifying shared commitments to equity, justice, participation, and belonging. It highlights how the goals of multicultural education, such as fostering cultural competence, promoting anti-bias teaching, and supporting multiple identity formations, can deepen the implementation of inclusive pedagogies, practices, and institutional cultures.

This conceptual article attempts to demonstrate how multicultural education can enrich inclusive education by shifting its focus from support provisioning for individual learners to systemic transformation. It argues for a broader conceptualisation of inclusion that explicitly addresses cultural marginalisation and structural inequality in schooling. In doing so, the article proposes a framework for inclusive practice that is culturally sustaining, socially just, and contextually grounded.

By positioning multicultural education not as an add-on but as integral to inclusive education, the article contributes to ongoing debates about how South African schools can move towards more equitable, affirming, and inclusive learning environments for all.

Keywords: Multi-cultural, Inclusive, Education, South Africa.