The Ministry of Education is developing a Plan for inclusive education for the next 3 to 5 years, providing solutions for the inclusion of children with severe disabilities, among other aspects, announced Minister Dan Perciun during a livestream.

Expected to be approved by the end of this year, the plan will introduce so-called “inclusive education units” at district level.

While the plan seeks to increase the adaptability of institutions to children with disabilities, Dan Perciun says he is aware that it will not be possible to ensure all conditions for all types of disabilities across the system. At the same time, it is important that at least a minimum number of schools fully meet all accessibility criteria.

Perciun believes that Moldova has overall managed to ensure an inclusion process for children with disabilities and special educational needs. Deinstitutionalization has also come a long way, as our country has been able to dispense with most orphanages and boarding institutions, with only around 600 children remaining institutionalized. The authorities are trying to fully integrate them into the educational process and the minister believes that this is the right approach.

At the same time, there is a problem of integrating children with severe disabilities for whom not enough is being done in general education institutions; not enough resources have been allocated. There are some successful examples of integrating children with severe disabilities, but there is no overarching solution at the national level, noted Perciun, adding that the plan will address this issue in particular.