Quality education = Inclusive schools

SKOPJE, 27 September 2018:  At yesterday’s round table discussion “Towards Inclusive Education – directions for reforms” organized by the Ministry of Education and Science and UNICEF, participants from government institutions, Ombudsperson’s Office, academia, Disability Persons’ Organisations, and parents of children with disabilities agreed that improving the quality of teaching and learning is the main pre-requisite for inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream schools. This requires changes and adaptations in content, teaching methods, organization and structure of the educational system to provide learning opportunities for all children.

“The degree to which our national education system is inclusive, is an indicator of the commitment and engagement, and the awareness of all stakeholders. Equal rights and opportunities must be ensured for all students, regardless of their individual differences and educational needs,” said Arber Ademi, Minister of Education and Science.

“Children with disabilities often experience exclusion throughout their life. Many of them are "invisible" not included in official data, likely to be kept out of school and out of the public eye. That is not fair,” said Elspeth Erickson, UNICEF Deputy Representative. “Quality education can only be achieved when every child, including children with disabilities, are in school receiving inclusive quality education that provides them with the learning required for life.”

Ms. Nora Sabani, Inclusive education Specialist from UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia presented an outline of the International Normative Framework, experiences from other countries, systemic approach in understanding and implementing inclusive education, and opportunities for international cooperation.  The global and regional perspectives triggered discussion on the next steps in that will be considered as part of the ongoing education reform.

Participants discussed the need to expand the network of inclusive schools, fully engage parents and DPOs throughout the reform process; to introduce cross-curricula approach to inclusive education in the initial teacher education and provide continued teacher professional development, increase investment to make school buildings and materials  accessible, revise legislation to strengthen mechanisms for preventing discrimination on the ground of disability, and adopt the International Classification Functioning, Disability and Health as a new language for disability. Participants also emphasized the need to define the role of special educators and transform special schools into resource centres to support teachers in mainstream schools.

UNICEF has been supporting the Ministry of Education and Science, and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy for inclusive education reform, which includes development of training modules and manuals, data collection, capacity development of education institutions and teacher training. As a result a network of 30 inclusive primary schools has been established to serve as a beacon of good practice to other schools.