INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN UZBEKISTAN

The event was organized by the Sen yolgiz emassan Republican Children’s Fund, Republican Center for Social Adaptation of Children, Ministry of Public Education, Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labor and Social Security of Population, Ministry of Culture and Sports, Ministry of Finance, Council of Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan, UNICEF in Uzbekistan, Kamolot Youth Movement, khokimiat of Tashkent city, and Public Foundation to Support Non-government Nonprofit Organizations, and Other Civil Society Institutions under the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan. 

The forum was attended by the members of the Senate and the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, senior officials of ministries and agencies, international organizations and NGOs, foreign experts, scientists, pedagogues, and doctors.Mr. Inoyatov, U., the minister of public education, Mustaev, R., the director of Sen yolg'iz emassan Republican Children’s Fund, Ms. Narbaeva, T., chairwoman of the Council of Federations of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan, Mr. Fuderich, R. head of UNICEF in Uzbekistan, Ms. Pikkat, K., head of UNESCO in Uzbekistan, head of delegation of the European Union in our country Sterk, Yu. and others noted that in the process of reforms conducted under the stewardship of President Islam Karimov for upbringing of harmoniously developed generation, improvement of physical and moral potential of the youth, social protection of the children with special needs is a high priority so that they obtain education along with healthy peers, have decent place in the society, and training of qualified staff in this sector. Protection of maternal and child health,bringing up healthy and harmoniously developed generation are priorities of government policy in our country. The strategy of nurturing spiritually and physically fit, harmoniously developed generation with profound knowledge, modern views on the world, capable of assuming the responsibility for the fate and future of the country is being implemented. The resolution of the President of the country on State Programme for Further Improvement of Reproductive Health of Population, Protection of the Health of Mothers, Children and Teenagers in Uzbekistan in 2014-2018 dated August 1, 2014, serve as the important guidelines for actions in further improvement of the effectiveness of these efforts. 

The national Healthy Mother – Healthy Child model implemented in Uzbekistan is recognized by the international community as an effective strategy. Current system of primary health services, screening of mother and child services facilitate prevention of illnesses and childhood disabilities, enabling the birth of healthy children in families. Specialized health centers, primary health system including rural health clinics, broad network of family polyclinics expand the public access, particularly of mothers and children in rural areas, to the qualified health services. 

Uzbekistan ratified five international conventions and adopted over dozen laws about the rights of the child. The goals and objectives enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are being gradually implemented. The rights of the minors are safeguarded according to the Constitution and the Law on the Guarantees of the Rights of the Child of Uzbekistan. 

Our country is demonstrating special care about the children deprived of parental care and children with disabilities. Largescale efforts are underway for gradual improvement of the facilities of Mehribonlik homes, specialized boarding schools and pre-school institutions, radical improvement of the learning process with consideration of advanced experience of developed countries. 
The issues of protection of maternal and child health in our country along with integrated support and social protection of children with special needs, their integration into the society and further improvement of the legal framework and strengthening interaction in this area were discussed at the international forum. 

Sen yolg'iz emassan Republican Public Children’s Fund and Republican Center for Social Adaptation of Children, jointly with a number of organizations, are consistently working to improve the health of children from socially vulnerable families and children with difficult life, protect their rights and interests, and assist their integration into the society. Children from poor families and children with special needs get treatment at local and foreign clinics. Corrective and treatment is offered to children with congenital illnesses along with provision of social, legal, and moral support to their parents. Inclusive educational system is advancing to higher benchmarks in our country. All prerequisites are being met so that children with special needs obtain education along with their healthy peers based on state educational standards and on equal terms. This has an important role in their social adaptation. 

The issues of strengthening social partnership in bringing up young generation, improving the performance of the workers in this sector and collaboration in general were discussed at the international forum. Opinions were exchanged on enshrining respect for moral values in the family, targeted support for socially vulnerable families and children, their integration into the society, national and international experience in training and retraining workers. 

“Family – mahalla – educational institution” type cooperation also facilitates the atmosphere of spirituality and morality in our society, countering negative phenomena alien to the national mentality. Participants of the event highly assessed active interaction of the family, school, health system, goverment and non-government organizations, mahallas, and other civil society institutions in the process of delivering relevant targets in education of children in Uzbekistan.

(prepared based on the press materials)

In the rating of Save the Children, Uzbekistan joined the top ten countries with the best care about the health of children

International participants of the forum highly assessed the efforts undertaken in Uzbekistan for social protection and integration of children with special needs into the society, provision of comprehensive medical and social services, realization of their artistic potential. It was noted that non-government organizations are actively involved in implementation of these objectives along with government institutions

Notably comprehensive support for children with special needs and consistent development of inclusive education is an important priority in Uzbekistan, said Ambassador Yuriy Sterk, the head of Delegation of the European Union in Uzbekistan. The Inclusive Education for Children with Special Needs in Uzbekistan Project is being successfully and effectively implemented jointly with the European Union. In the framework of this project launched in March 2014, consistent efforts are underway for integration of the children with disabilities into the society, improving the skills of pedagogues, and designing new training programs. We are interested in further advancement of cooperation with Uzbekistan in this sector.

In Uzbekistan all facilities are in place for education of children, including boys and girls with special needs, to become harmoniously developed persons, and model system of inclusive education has been created, said Juergen Becker, an international expert (Austria). Inclusive education for children with special needs in Uzbekistan Project being implemented jointly by Uzbekistan and the European Union plays an important role in social protection of the young generation. The project assists in formulating sustainable and long-term strategy to effectively address the issues related to the children with special needs and improvement of inclusive education.