More than 400 students with special educational needs (SENs) will be able to study at 20 schools where the infrastructure was adjust for them. The results of the project “Integration of children with disabilities into mainstream schools”, which is financed by the Government of Japan, were made public on January 29, IPN reports.

Resource centers were created at the schools. These include kinetotherapy, psychologist’s and logopedist’s offices. There were built access ramps and set up wider doors and support bars. Sanitary facilities were put up for children with locomotor disabilities. Also, teachers and parents were trained in inclusive education.

Igor Sharov, State Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, said 23 more district schools are yet to be rehabilitated, six of which this year.

Japan’s Ambassador in Chisinau Masanobu Yoshii said Japan and Moldova lack natural resources, but they both have human resources that are the most important ones and should be put to good use. Education and health are very important and the Government of Japan assists the partners in Moldova in ensuring higher living standards for the people.

World Bank Country Manager for Moldova Anna Akhalkatsi noted that the World Bank will continue to support projects that will contribute to creating school infrastructure for children with disabilities. The given project is an important step towards promoting the inclusion of children in schools, while the most important thing is that these 20 schools will show how inclusion works to other entities.

According to the executive director of the Moldova Social Investment Fund Mircea Esanu, the local public authorities, mayor’s offices, parents and teachers who work with children with SENs played an important role in implementing the project. These are those who can ensure the continuity of inclusion in Moldova.

To implement the project, the Government of Japan provided US$2.86 worth of grants through the Policy and Human Resources Development Fund (PHRD). The money was used in 2014-2017 under the management of the Moldova Social Investment Fund.