There are a number of moments that necessitate increased attention on the part of the state authorities in the field of promotion of inclusive education. A series of relevant recommendations were presented in a news conference at IPN in in connection with the Global Action Week for Education that is held in 100 countries concurrently.
The recommendations were formulated as a result of a nationwide study carried out by the Alliance of NGOs working in the field of child and family social protection during 2016-2017 to see how inclusive education is implemented in schools.
Ludmila Malcoci, executive director of the association Keystone Human Services, underlined it is necessary to extend the promotion of inclusive education in preschool institutions so as to ensure a high training level of children with special educational needs and transition from kindergarten to school.
Practice shows that when the children benefitted from support at the kindergarten, their inclusion in school was much more efficient. Emphasis should be placed on the ensuring of a positive learning environment, cultivation of trust in the own forces, inclining of students with special educational needs. The latter need more specialized logopedic, psychological, psycho-pedagogical and kineto-therapeutic assistance services. More support teachers, multidisciplinary commissions and resource centers for inclusive education are needed.
The NGOs working in the field of the social protection of children plead for reducing the number of students in classes that include children with special educational needs to at most 15, two-three of whom will be with special educational needs. The budgets of education institutions should include funds for activities to adjust to the necessities of children with special educational needs.
The adjustment of infrastructure to the needs of students with reduced locomotor abilities remains a problem mainly in rural areas. “The local public authorities should take a more active part. They forget that they have persons with physical disabilities in the community. Buildings that do not ensure universal access to them continue to be erected and made available for use,” stated Ludmila Malcoci.
A number of activities will be staged as part of the Global Action Week for Education. These will include a session to inform the students of the Teacher Training University “Ion Creanga” and a roundtable meeting on April 26 entitled “Financing in education: priorities, necessities and reality” that will involve representatives of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research and of the Psycho-Pedagogical Assistance Service, managers of education institutions and civil society representatives.
