New Education Strategy for persons with special educational needs

For the year 2013-2016 and 3 standardized instruments of identifying educational needs was held at the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia.

Education Strategy and Action Plan for persons with special educational needs have been developed on the basis of analyzing the existing achievements and challenges for the past three years in the process of implementing inclusive education. Experts of the field, representatives of non-governmental organizations and people with special needs themselves were involved in the development of the strategic plan.

Institutionalization of newly established systems of inclusive education, improving the quality of education and extending the scales of inclusive education are emphasized in the strategy.

Assessment of educational needs of pupils with special needs was also important for better planning of educational process. For the purpose of developing this process, under the joint endeavor of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, Norway-financed project “ Implementation of Inclusive Education in Public Schools of  9 Regions of Georgia” , USAID, Save The Children and National Examinations Center,  3 internationally applied assessment instruments have been implemented: Standardization of Emotional Disturbance Decision Tree ( EDDT), Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale and Wide Range  and Adaptive Skills Test WRAT 4.

Natia Jokhadze, Head of National Curriculum Department of the Ministry of Education and Science and Marika Zakareishvili, Director of Inclusive Education Project made the presentation. Representatives of the Ministry of Health, Ombudsman’s Office and non-governmental organizations attended the event. Donor organizations: USAID, OSF Georgia and UNICEF, were invited as well.