Presentation made by the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science at the 1st UNICEF Executive Board meeting 2013 in New York (6 February 2013)

1. FROM SCHOOLS TO SYSTEMS
THE EVOLUTION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN
ARMENIA
Ministry of Education and Science
New York, February 6, 2013

2. 1991-2000 2000-2013
- Medical Model of Disability -Nearly 100 inclusive
- Practically no understanding schools with over 2500
about inclusive education children with special
education needs (SEN)
- Special schools were the -A reduced number of
primary option for children special schools from 40 to
with disabilities (CwD) 23
-Increased understanding
about social model of
disability
-Mobilization of the civil
society and common
acceptance of the principles
of inclusive education.

3. FROM IDEA TO GRASSROOTS
Introduction of Model Schools
Capacity Grassroots and
the concept of
Building of pilots in Community
Inclusive
National selected Centers
Education by
Organizations schools
UNICEF

4. FROM GRASSROOTS
TO POLICY
National
Discussion and Creation of Creation of Development of a
Amendments
Policy Dialogue Introduction of to the Law on
Budget Line for Special Unified Curriculum Inclusive Education
Introduction of Inclusive
Education Development of Education marking a
Law on Education education shift towards
Needs Inclusive Teaching Courses in
of Children with (addition per making all
Assessment Modules for Pedagogical
Special capita funds for schools
Procedure Teacher Training Universities
Education Needs SEN children) inclusive
in 2005

5. POLICY SCALE-UP: TAVUSH
REGION PILOT
• Instead of a limited number of schools eligible for
additional financings for SEN students, designated
inclusive education funding was allocated to all schools in
the region to hire teacher’s assistants or special education
teachers.
• The lessons learned experience will be used in replicating
the model in other regions.

6. LESSONS LEARNED
• Advocating for inclusive education at the grassroots level
with community involvement is very important in the
change process. Showcasing model schools and the
success stories are important strategies for gaining the
strong support and fostering ownership of policymakers
and key stakeholders.
• However, in the long run, the process of reforming one
school at a time is slow and ineffective, and should be
replaced by system reforms.
• Inclusive education is a key component of social inclusion
of persons with special needs, which implies a shift in the
attitude of the whole society, and involves health and
social protection services. Only through inter-sectoral
cooperation can the State ensure the support to the most
vulnerable groups.

7. THE DISADVANTAGE OF
SPECIAL SCHOOLS
• Special schools allow for specialized programmes,
specialists, special methodologies and small-sized
classes
• However, Special schools reinforce stereotypes, spur
stigmatization, offer limited possibilities and hinder the
social inclusion of children with disabilities.
• Children’s right to grow up in the family is often
undermined.

8. REDEFINITION OF ROLES FOR
SPECIAL SCHOOLS
TRANSFORMATION OF SPECIAL SCHOOLS IS AN ESSENTIAL
STEP IN BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION SYSTEM
Scientific-Pedagogic Centers/ Resource Teams
• Development of specialized services for children
• Development of didactic materials and methodologies
• Trainings for special teachers
• Mainstream teacher training, mentoring and guidance
• Provision of special education services in mainstream schools
• Special education needs assessment
• Support to families

9. CONSTRAINTS TO DE-
INSTITUTIONALIZATION
Financing mechanism
• Sector – to –sector budget transfers
• National level to community budget transfers
• Definition of funding mechanism for services provision
Insufficiently developed social services
• Case management practice in incipient stage
• Lack of alternative care options
Weak cooperation frameworks
• Decentralizing services that used to be provided in one
place requires strong coordination

10. RESISTANCE TO
DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION
Special schools and institutions
• Professional resistance and vested interests
• Fear of loss of financing (per capita)
• Fear of loss of jobs
Mainstream Schools
• Lack of teacher capacity and resources
• Discriminatory attitudes from teachers and parents and
community in general
Families
• Difficulty to raise their children in the families
• Fear of discrimination and social pressure

11. TRANSFORMATION
PLAN
Transformation plans for special schools
• Planning and creation of alternative services
• Reallocation of financial, human and capital resources
from special schools to new services, and mobilization of
new resources as necessary
• Reprofiling of staff
• Individual reunification plans for children, with a
thorough assessment of available resources and the
involvement of social protection services, in the best
interest of children
Failure to plan is planning to fail!!!

12. CHALLENGES
• Discrimination against children with disabilities
• Inconsistency in legislation.
• Weak coordination between education, health and social
protection services in providing comprehensive response to
the different needs of the child.
• Lack of community based services for children with disabilities.
• Low accessibility of school infrastructure and other services
• Teachers are not sensitized and trained.
• Lack of special education professionals, especially in rural
areas
• Special education needs assessment process is in disconnect
from disability assessment, and is not in line with the WHO
International Classification of Functioning – Children and Youth
(ICF-CY).
• Insufficient budget allocations to cover the transition costs of
special school transformation and provision of all necessary
services.

13. ADDRESSING CHALLENGES:
FUTURE STEPS
Adopting one common law on education
Out-of-School Children Tracking and
Referral Mechanism
Revision of Special Education Needs
Assessment Procedure (ICF-CY)
Transformation of special schools to
resource teams to support inclusive
education

14. A SOCIETY INCLUDING CHILDREN
WITH DISABILITIES IS A BETTER
SOCIETY FOR ALL