INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN UZBEKISTAN

September 21-22, 2016 Tashkent hosted the final conference of the project titled «Impact of the project «Inclusive Education for Children with Special Needs in Uzbekistan» at the central level», with the participation of representatives of ministries and departments, the international donor community, national and international experts from Tashkent , Namangan, Samarkand, Surkhandarya and Khoresm regions, as well as parents and children with special needs involved in the implementation of the project.

A presentation on the status and prospects of the development of inclusive education in Uzbekistan was made by the Deputy Minister of Public Education Mr. Dilshod Kenjaev. As noted during the presentation, 907 children with special educational needs have been included in the general education system in 27 pilot schools and 27 kindergartens, while the total number of children who benefit from the project has reached 1500. The expert of the project on legal issues Ms. Yulduzkhon Umarbekova presented the legal framework in the field of inclusive education in Uzbekistan.

It was noted that the Republic of Uzbekistan has already developed a number of normative documents and appropriate programs are approved, which are the important steps taken by the government towards quality education for all, such as the National Plan of Action - Education for All in the Republic of Uzbekistan (2002) Order of the Minister of public education from 2005 «On approval of the interim provisions on inclusive education for children and adolescents with disabilities», as well as the Plan of the Development of Education Sector in Uzbekistan for 2014-2017 (approved in 2013).

In addition, the Law «On education» guarantees the right of every child to education, and the Law «On guarantees of the rights of a child» guarantees additional benefits for education of children with special needs. Thus, the legislation provides the necessary basis for the further development of inclusive education in our country. The Director of the National Center for Social Adaptation of Children (NCSAC) Ms. Vasila Alimova, made a presentation on the achievements in the field of inclusive education during the implementation of the project at the central level.

In particular, it was noted that one of the key achievements of the project is the Long-term National Strategy on Inclusive Education in Uzbekistan, and the Action Plan for 2016 – 2018. The Draft of the Strategy, developed with the participation of international and national experts, provides the basis for the development of the inclusive education system in the Republic of Uzbekistan, which will ensure the equal right of every child to quality education, adapted to his/her special educational needs, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, the language of communication, religion, social status, physical and mental development.

During the event, the Project Manager Ms. Stefanija Alisauskiene presented the work done for initial training and professional development of teachers on inclusive education in Uzbekistan. In particular, it was noted that the project developed and approved 3 training modules for initial training and professional development of teachers, for the implementation of inclusive practices in the education system of Uzbekistan.

At the event, a number of international and national experts highlighted the following achievements of the project:

- 1350 members of medical and psycho-pedagogical commissions and teaching staff have been trained to provide inclusive educational services;

- five Pilot Resource Centers were opened, which provided over 2,000 services to children with special educational needs and their families, as well as experts involved in the development and application of inclusive educational services;

- more than 150 articles were published, 11 television and 24 radio programs were broadcasted to enhance the public awareness about social and educational inclusion of children with special needs in Uzbekistan;

- the project web page www. inclusive-education.uz was launched and it successfully operates in the three languages and the views has reached 110 thousand;

- eight project bulletins, as well as five brochures explaining the principles of inclusive education were published.

Besides the presentations of teachers telling about the experience of the implementation of inclusive practices in general schools, the history of success of children with special needs, as well as the further steps by the Government to ensure the sustainability of the project and the development of inclusive education in Uzbekistan were presented at the event.