Disabled children from Edinet and Leova to attend inclusive kindergartens

Children with disabilities from Edinet and Leova districts will be able to attend inclusive kindergartens. The action forms part of the project “Inclusive education of children of preschool age from Moldova” that is implemented by the Criuleni-based public association “Woman and Child – Protection and Support” in partnership with the Development Agency of the Czech Republic and the Development Agency of Moldova, Info-Prim Neo reports. Victoria Secu, project coordinator for ““Woman and Child – Protection and Support”, said the project is supported financially by the Czech Republic, while its value is about €400,000. The project is implemented in parallel at kindergarten No.1 in Leova town and at kindergarten No. 2 in Edinet town, and will be completed on December 31, 2013. This project is a continuation of a similar project implemented in Orhei town in 2010-2011. “The kindergarten in Edinet has been partially renovated. Our project centered on the creation of areas for the psychologist, logopedist, and special educator, while the kinetotherapist will use the gym. The kindergarten will include a resource center for teachers,” said Victoria Secu. In the future, the kindergarten in Edinet will become a methodological formation center for educators from the northern districts of the country. The institution now has wheelchair access and will soon have a minibus with wheelchair access for transporting children in wheelchairs from the neighboring villages to the kindergarten. The kindergarten in Leova now has a renovated kinetotherapy hall and eatery. “The aim of the project is to promote inclusive education of children with special education needs of preschool age by creating models of inclusive kindergartens in northern and southern Moldova,” stated Victoria Secu. The Ministry of Education supports the inclusive processes initiated by national NGOs and will pay salaries to the specialists who will work at inclusive kindergartens. The local public authorities will contribute to the renovation of the buildings and maintenance of the units of transport.