Presentation of the Inclusive Education Development Report Held
The presentations were reviewed by office directors from various countries around the world, including Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, the United States of America, and others. The heads of the organizations listened to detailed information regarding the measures implemented by the Save the Children Georgia Office in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia to support inclusive education.
This meeting and the summary of the implemented projects will contribute to the continuation of cooperation between the Ministry and Save the Children, as well as to the definition of future plans.
The development of inclusive education represents one of the priority directions of the Ministry of Education and Science. The system is actively working to promote the integration of students with special educational needs into the educational process, as well as to improve the quality of learning in public schools. The role of the organization "Save the Children" in the process of developing inclusive education is noteworthy. The activities of the organization have facilitated the initiation of new projects.
In January 2014, the Parliament of Georgia ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which placed an even greater responsibility on the system, specifically:
- By ratifying the Convention and through the "2014-2016 Governmental Action Plan for Ensuring Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities," the Ministry of Education and Science assumed responsibility for the development of inclusive education;
- With the aim of promoting inclusive education, starting from October 2013, the Ministry developed a new funding model, which implies the presence of special teachers/psychologists in schools, as well as providing additional educational resources for students.
- Since 2013, the printing of textbooks in Braille for blind students has begun;
- In the process of developing inclusive education, the Ministry of Education has started developing services for students with special educational needs, including the provision of integrated classes for students with hearing impairments and autism spectrum disorders.
- A master's program for special education teachers was established at Ilia State University.
- Work on the development of Georgian Sign Language continues;
- Work on teaching strategies for deaf and blind students continues;
- Work also continues on creating additional resources for deaf students and students with intellectual disabilities;
- With the support of the organization "Save the Children," the project "Disaster Risk Reduction with an Inclusive Approach for Special School Students" has been implemented since May 2014;
- The physical environment of public schools is being adapted.
