The educational program “Access to Education” enables the first 225 of the 14,000 children with special educational needs (SEN) to enjoy the benefits of inclusive education. The results of this pilot project were presented in a news conference held by the Ministry of Education and the Association Keystone Moldova, INP reports. 

The pilot program offers a methodological and assistance guide for children with SE, which is used in 22 schools from 15 districts of Moldova. A Multidisciplinary School Commission was created in every school to assess the educational needs of the children with SEN and to ensure the social inclusion of every child.

The development of inclusive education in schools envisions the preparation of specialists in this field and the objective assessment of the current situation, said Ludmila Malcoci, executive director of Keystone Moldova. The association provided assistance to the district education divisions in training 404 teachers involved in the inclusive education process and in selecting 30 teachers for offering individualized support to children with SEN.

“In our education system, we can meet the same shortcomings as in the systems of other states. Regretfully, the institutions do not cooperate with society. These inclusive education programs are welcome, but they do not interact directly with those involved in the inclusive education of these children – parents, teachers, etc. We cannot yet determine exactly the potential of the children with SENs. We cannot offer equal methodology both to the involved teachers and families. That’s why the pilot program we present today is precious,” said Nicolae Bucun, vice director of the Ministry of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences.