The higher education institutions are ready to promote the conception of inclusive education, shows an assessment by the Ministry of Education. The discipline “Inclusive Education” was introduced as a mandatory one in universities that train teachers only, but other higher education establishments also implemented this conception successfully. Now this course is taught in 14 universities, IPN reports.
The assessment was carried out in partnership with specialists of the non-profit organization “Lumos Foundation Moldova”. Project coordinator Elena Petrov, in an event held to sum up the results during the first four years of the introduction of the discipline in universities, said about 12,000 students studied this. Of them, 1,300 students are from other specialties than education sciences. These studied the psycho-pedagogical module in parallel and in addition to the main university program.
Rector of the State University of Physical Education and Sport Veaceslav Manolachi said the institution included the discipline “Inclusive Education” in the curriculum because it considered this important. “We have athletes with disabilities who make our country famous abroad. They achieve very good results and raise Moldova’s flag at international competitions. We must help these children,” he stated.
Nadejda Velishko, division head at the Ministry of Education, said the psycho-pedagogical module will be promoted as a minimum standard in teacher training. In the future, the players involved in the implementation of the course “Inclusive Education” aim to facilitate the disabled students’ access to institutions by ensuring ramps. Also, the libraries will be outfitted with special aids for students with visual and hearing impairments.
The course “Inclusive Education” was introduced in the curriculum of universities on September 1, 2012.
