1. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA: METHODS AND APPROACHES Valentin CRUDU Valentin CRUDU, Moscow, 27-29 September 2011

2. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION Exclusion of a child from the education system and the life of society by virtue of inequality and segmentation of the population have become the outcomes of economic and social and cultural changes have in both developed and developing countries; Education is inclined to reproduce and even intensify the social division of the population. Under contemporary economic and social conditions, the traditional unifying role of education in society has weakened significantly.

3. REASONS FOR EXCLUSION (I) 1.The increase in the number of disadvanced children: child health and developmental problems, problems within the family, etc.; 2.Inadequate financing of the social sphere: health, education and social services; 3.The education system is not ready for integration of children with special educational needs in mainstream schools;

4. REASONS FOR EXCLUSION (II) 4.Inadequate development within the healthcare system of mechanisms for early identification and rehabilitation of children with limited intellectual abilities; 5.Absence of mechanisms for early intervention: –education policy does not include children of 0-3 years old and their parents; –children over the age of 1 year are not at the focus of healthcare policy.

5. INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT OBLIGATIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA 1.The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948); 2.UN Convention Against Discrimination in Education (1960); 3.UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989); 4.UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2007). Official recognition of equal opportunities in education and social security is not enough to eliminate inequality.

6. INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT OBLIGATIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA 1.World Declaration on Education for All, Jomtien (1990); 2.Salamanca Declaration (1994); 3.Declaration of the World Summit on Social Development, Copenhagen (1995); 4.World Education Forum, Dakar (2000); 5.Participation in implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. Official recognition of equal opportunities in education and social security is not enough to eliminate inequality.

7. NATIONAL POLICY IN THE SPHERE OF EDUCATION (I) 1.National strategy for education for all (Government Resolution No. 410 of 4 April 2003); 2.National strategy and Action Plan for reform of childcare institutions for 2007-2012 (Government Resolution No. 784 of 9 July 2007); Children with disabilities have the same rights as their peers.

8. NATIONAL POLICY IN THE SPHERE OF EDUCATION (II) 3.Consolidated Strategy for development in education in 2011-2015 and sectoral action plan in education (Order No. 849 of 29 November 2010 of the Ministry of Education); 4.Programme for development of inclusive education in the Republic of Moldova for 2011-2020 (Government Resolution No. 523 of 11 July 2011). Children with disabilities have the same rights as their peers.

9. DEVELOPING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION GOALS 1. Reform of the system of childcare institutions; 2. Development and promotion of inclusive education. Every child in psychologically and physically specific which requires an individual assessment and approach.

10. A CHANGE IN THE APPROACH TO CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES 1.A change in attitude towards children with disabilities within education system – satisfaction of special needs within the mainstream educational system; 2.Concentration/focus on individual education for children with disabilities and an orientation on the child’s requirements; Children with disabilities have the same rights as their peers.

11. A CHANGE IN THE APPROACH TO CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES 3.Review of the mission of educational institutions and institutions assessing and helping children with special education needs; 4.A change in the view of basic education and subsequent professional training of teachers in the framework of inclusive education; Children with disabilities have the same rights as their peers.

12. A CHANGE IN THE APPROACH TO CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES 5.A change in attitudes and public opinion forwards inclusive education of children with special education needs; 6.Creation, at the community level, of quality and qualified assistance to children with disabilities, with an orientation on the family; 7.Development of inclusive education. Every child is psychologically and physically specific which requires an individual assessment and approach.

13. ACTIVITIES IN MOLDOVA (I) Development of a legislative and institutional framework for protecting children and families, in accordance with international standards. Access for children and families to quality social services at the community level. Higher qualifications and greater professionalism of education workers. Development of effective and flexible financial tools for providing the services required by children and families.

14. ACTIVITIES IN MOLDOVA (II) De-institutionalisation of children from childcare institutions and their reintegration into family and mainstream schools. Reorganisation/closure of childcare institutions. Development of educational services for promotion of inclusive education. Provision of public awareness and mobilisation its support of inclusive education.

15. PARTNERS IN IMPLEMENTATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION UNICEF UNICEF LUMOS Moldova LUMOS Moldova EveryChild Moldova EveryChild Moldova CCF Moldova CCF Moldova

16. PLANNING OF REFORM AND DEVELOPMENT OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION Development and approval of a Strategic Plan for development of the child protection system and inclusive education in pilot regions. Setting up of a co-ordinating committee with the participation of representatives of education, social security, healthcare, internal affairs bodies, financial authorities and the non-government sector.

17. PROVIDING THE CONDITIONS FOR REINTEGRATION OF CHILDREN PROVIDING THE CONDITIONS FOR REINTEGRATION OF CHILDREN At the level of regional educational structures – appointment of a specialist responsible for introducing an inclusive education policy. At the school level – creation of internal inter- disciplinary commissions for assessing children and providing them with psychological and educational help.

18. CONDITIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION Awareness, documentation and training of those participating in reform: –heads of educational institutions, – teaching staff, – school psychologists, –social workers, –parents, –representatives of the local authorities.

19. CONDITIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION A change in the institutional infrastructure (modification to meet the needs of all children...). Development of a full set of additional methodological and didactic materials for practical work with the child. Retraining of personnel to work with special needs children. Development of a set of documents determining the reform financing mechanism (redistribution of resources).

20. PROBLEMS/RESTRICTIONS IN IMPLEMENTING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION Lack of regulatory acts relating to development of inclusive education. The reform financing mechanisms are inadequate and the financial resources allocated for promoting reform do not cover the required costs. The infrastructure of educational institutions is not suited to the needs of children with disabilities. At the community level, a shortage is felt of services supporting families and children with disabilities.

21. PROBLEMS/RESTRICTIONS IN IMPLEMENTING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION The available experience of reintegrating children with educational difficulties is not systemic. The reform process is being implemented in the absence of inclusive education standards, financing tools, modified teaching programmes and technologies and a shortage of trained specialists.

22. PROSPECTS(I) 1. Optimisation of the education system; 2. Continuation of the reforms in education, including childcare institutions; 3. Development and approval of mechanisms and educational tools for implementing inclusive education; 4. Strengthening of services for assessing and diagnosing children’s development in the early development stages;

23. PROSPECTS(II) 1. Creation, within the framework of a mainstream educational institution, of services for supporting and helping children with special educational needs; 2. Development and introduction of a mechanism for assessing and monitoring the progress of children with special educational needs integrated into mainstream educational institutions;

24. PROSPECTS(III) 1. Training of teachers to provide psychological and pedagogical assistance to children with special educational needs; 2. Development and introduction of differentiated and flexible study programmes for disadvantaged children, orientated on the individual child’s needs and restoration of physical, cognitive and social development, etc.

25. THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (1948) Countries should develop educational systems to include all children, irrespective of their physical, intellectual or financial abilities. Article 26: “Everyone has the right to education”.

26. REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION Piata Marii Adunari Nationale, 1 MD-2033, Kishinev, tel. 23-33-48, fax: 23-35-15 v.crudu@edu.md