INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN UZBEKISTAN

A workshop on the development of Inclusive Education with participation of over 30 people was held in Namangan on the eve of the Children’s Day. Among the participants of the seminar there were the directors and teachers of pilot schools and preschool educational institutions in which introduction of inclusive education is planned since September of this year.

In the course of the workshop the participants have worked possible answers to important questions, such as: how many children will be admitted in each class; who will assist the teacher in working with a child with special needs; exactly what kind of children will be admitted in educational institutions and on what parameters; how many children will be admitted in the pilot institutions; when the reception will be carried out, etc.

In addition, the participants in an interactive way learned about the Resource Center activity, its basic function and structure. The seminar proved to be very fruitful in general. One of the participants noted: “It would be great to have more such seminars because they help us to grow professionally. Now I can easily explain to my colleagues and staff members what inclusive education is and how to work with children with special needs”.

On May 29, the Project Manager Mr. Jürgen Becker took part in the Conference with a hot topic
“Let’s learn together”. The event was timed to the International Children’s Day; the result was a grand celebration with music, songs, dances, poetry, exhibitions, gifts, sea of smiles and laughter. The main heroes of the celebration were children with special needs. Getting to know them closer, one begins to understand that we should learn from them how to love life.

Their love was reflected in their drawings, in their products, modeling, design of clothes, and buildings construction, in music... The event was organized at the initiative of the regional Department of Public Education with the assistance of regional and city Khokimiyats (administration), regional Prosecutor’s Office, Resource Center on Inclusive Education development, as well as with the support of the Federation of Trade Unions of the region.

Increased interest was caused by speech of the representative of regional Prosecutor’s Office, Ms. Nafisa Rustamova, who spoke about the work done in the sphere of Inclusive Education – legislative and regulatory documents concerning education of children with special needs and the results of the reforms undertaken in Inclusive Education. These and many other speeches got the response among the participants; there were a lot of questions which were answered by the representatives of Public Education, representatives of the regional khokimiyat (administration), Prosecutor’s Office, Conference guests.