INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN UZBEKISTAN

On January 11 2008 our longawaited son Otabek was born. We, as his parents, were very happy and grateful to our fate. Otabek grew and developed as a normal child, playing with toys, learning poems, and his first words were – mom and dad. Otabek started changing at the age of four. According to our version, Otabek was frightened, when once he was at his grandmother’s home and was looking for his mom, and after that he became passive, taciturn. He developed a phobia for the fear of loneliness, attachment to his mother, he was afraid to stay alone in a room.

In repeated visits to doctors: pediatricians, neurologists, psychologists, speech therapists, speech pathologists and other professionals, no one could make an accurate diagnosis. All experts had discrepancies. In the course of observations by doctors by the age of five, there was a regression in Otabek, and he stopped talking completely at the age of five. But, we visited doctors and speech pathologists all the time, and we also visited private specialists. However, there were no positive results.

The child grew up in a home environment under the care of his mother, grandmother and other relatives of the family. According to the recommendations of doctors, from the age of 5 we started visiting NCSAC (National Center for Social Adaptation of Children), as well as visited a speech pathologist in a private correction and speech therapy center, and after that Otabek started developing in a positive direction. He starting saying and distinguishing sounds, drawing, sculpting, playing with toys. When Otabek turned 7 years old, there came up the question of what must be the further education.

We wanted to enroll him at a regular school. But we did not know if he would be accepted. At NCSAC we were recommended that we should contact the Regional Expert on Inclusive Education for Children with Special Needs Dildora Tulyaganova. Dildora told us about the project and about inclusive education, and then sent us to the Commission for the Selection of Children for Inclusive Schools. The Commission has sent us to the comprehensive school No. 324 of Shaikhantakhur District.

Since Otabek started education at this school, great changes have happened in his life, he started changing before our eyes. Thanks to the pedagogues of the school, he learned to write, count, sing, draw, and many more things. Most importantly, he began to communicate with his peers, he made friends, and he happily participates in the public life of the class and the school. He became independent, he is no longer afraid when he is left alone. At school, children love him; teachers help him learn the educational material.

He visits the school’s speech therapist three times a week. We are very grateful to Dildora Tulyaganova, the director and teachers of the school for their support. We believe that children with special educational needs have to study at a regular school with their regular peers. This will help them to socialize in the community.