The legislation of Uzbekistan provides access to the education for all
the children from early childhood till the transition to working life. All
students regardless of their physical and psychological conditions or potential
abilities have equal rights, liberties and responsibilities which is granted by
the Constitution of Uzbekistan from 1992, in the " Law of Education and the
National program of personal training of1997 ".
The persons with special
needs have equal rights for developing their potential abilities to be rightful
members of the human community, to help their home country in building a new
type of socio-politic and cultural society. They also have rights to satisfy
their special needs which are under the " Law for Invalids from 1992 " and the
" Law for the Social Protection of the Invalids ". On its base the invalids'
rehabilitation program which was created for the period of 1996-2000 (Cabinet
of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Descision No. 433 of November
1993).
There were many aspects of vital functions of those with special
needs taken into account for the purpose of their rehabilitation, and
integration into society for the achievment of maximum independance.
There
were a number of steps to satisfy special needs stipulated by the program. Now
when many of the goals signed by the program have already been achieved to the
interest of the invalids, another program was created and adopted on a
government level : " Soglom Avlod " ie : "Program for a healthy generation " of
February15th 2000, No43. There all the mesures were stipulated to solve this
important problem in particular for the country of Uzbekistan including both
national and international experience to improve the health of the young
population, to give social and educational support to help to satisfy their
special needs in rehabilitation, integration and inclusion into society.
Education is top priority of the social policies of the newly developing country of Uzbekistan.
Our newly developing country has proclaimed education as its top
priority in social policies which is signed in the new educational law .
Special education being an inseparable part of the public educational system is
oriented to the cardinal reforming according to to the principles of humanism,
democratisation and comprehensive developement of personalities.
On the
basis of the Law of Education and the State programs of rehabilitation of the
invalids, the special education statute for the physically and mentally
handicapped children was developed and then adopted by the Ministry of Public
Education.
According to the statutes, there is provision for continuity and
succession of all educational formations. From the family nurturing of those
with special needs to vocational training and subsequent mastering of
professional skills on the basis of educational institutions.
In the
content of educational programs there are 60% of all the school time assigned
to the basis of school components and 40% are assigned to special education.
Thus the guiding principle of special education is to provide all children
with the same education as well as providing additional assistance and support
to children with special needs.
Another notable feature of the new statutes
of special education is the opportunity for the parents to make their own
choice when it concerns the type of education for their disabled children to
learn either at special or at public schools.
This opportunity is expected
to lead to wider inclusion into education of those with special needs.
Natural ways to inclusive education springs from national traditions, ethnic and demographic peculiarities.
For more than 50 years Uzbekistan experienced the segregation approach
to children with various disabilities. All its positive and negative traits
were almost the same as in any other country. The necessity of changing the way
of education for the disabled children was widely discussed among scientists
since the sixties, but its developement on State level was delayed by
economical difficulties.
In this connection it is opportune to mention
about the demographic peculiarity of this country in which the young population
is the prevailing part of all the inhabitants. The reason of this is in the
national tradition of having many children in one family. While they are young
they need to be supported by the government which causes definite economic
difficulties.
Another not less serious problem concerning the traditions is
the widespread custom to marry relatives. Its sad consequences one can see in
the increasing number of disabled children. So far the specialised institutions
such as boarding schools can often be considered as the places in which the
disabled children from big families can have all the necessary things for a
living besides receiving proper quality of education.
It's necessary to pay
special attention to one more national tradition which, despite its negative
orientation has played a positive role in developing integration and inclusion.
Uzbek population is strongly family oriented. The Family is a carrier of their
ethno-cultural and religious traditions according to which it's customary not
to show disabled children. It is the reason why special bodies like either
kindergarten or schools had never been popular with the Uzbek. This kind of
problem served as a source for the forming integration approach to those with
special educational needs. Mothers were the first to take steps to help their
children with special needs to be included in public schools by the
circumvention of all possible rules and laws which were strict enough in those
times of segregation. Step by step through many hardships and obstacles the new
approach has been formed parallel to existing by the parents' initiatives. They
were searching and discovering by method of natural selection that the long
term experiment of exposing their children to conditions of joint education
with children of different abilities could be successful.
These conditions are following :
The next step on the way to inclusion. Development of NGO movements.
One can name a great number of children of public institutions in which
those with specific impairment such as deafness or hard of hearing, mental
retardation or serious speech or motive problem, or multiple defects received
and are currently getting education in a community of their peers. At present
this long term experienced way has received official recognition and support as
one of the models tp achieve inclusive education.
This natural integrative
way has been learned and advanced by creative scientists and practitioners in
the centre for children with learning difficulties which was established in
1995. A complex program was worked out in which the most progressive methods of
intelligence developpement were included. It can be used successfully by school
teachers and parents. On a base of this complex program with the help of a
special educator of speech pathology, it's easy to create an individual program
for any child with any learning problem.
This program is valued by teachers
of schools for its help to overcomestress which can grow with teachers who are
not prepared to have children with special needs in their regular classrooms.
It leads them to an understanding of those needs and necessity to master the
special methods. There is a new approach to speech and intelligence
developpement on the basis of teaching readingby a new original method worked
out in the centre. Even the children with severe mental deffects can succeed
when they are taught by this method. The author of this method and leader of
the centre is Olga Kyznetsova
There are different forms and ways of
participation of Non-Governmental organisations and other societies with
families where the children and adults with special needs live. In this
connection it is worthy to mention the club of parents having disabled
children.(KRIDI). There are a number of its subdivisions on all the territory
of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
As many other such companies, they solve
accessible problem concerning the disable children. But they are much more
worthful for their work toward parenting rehabilitation which is seen in the
growing number of social activities in which they are engaged.
Now parents
are able to help not only their own children. A striking illustration of this
can serve as an exemple of the disable kid's mother Dilaram Abduvekova who
created the NGO centre as a children house (ie : Muruvat) This house became the
a home for mentally retarded childrenwhere they lived and have been well looked
after, but they are getting used to be treated as " uneducated ".
Now with
the help of volunteers and professionals, mothers try their hardest to do
seemingly simple things like massage to a paralised kid to improve his physical
condition, teachgrammar or numerals ect… Young artist with severe mental
defekt organise painting and drawing competitions and exhibitions of young
artists. Mothers volunteers work with every child to give him not only help but
also their love and warmth which they need. Headlines and goals of parents
organisations have much in common with those of the " OILA Centres "(Family
centres). They enter the families having having disabled children to help
resolve a large number of questions concerning those with special health needs.
They have to stay at home and cannot attend schools because of severe or
multiple disabilities of their to solve various juridical problems if it is for
the interest of a child and a family.
By the " OILA centres" the 2
documents of State importance were prepared to be adopted by the government of
the republic of Uzbekistan. They are " the Family code " anfd " Screening of
mother and child " birth prevention of disabled children is proclaimed.
In
new statutes of special education which is worked out the special department of
the centre of education, the family is claimed as the first step in persistent
multi-stage system. It is well known that all further attitudesof children with
their environment springs from the family base. To civilise the contact of a
disable child with acommunity is today's probem of both professionals ansd all
members of society.
Our own way.
Taking into account experience collected by the National special
educational institutions during the years of scientific research and practical
creative work. We can use them as a base for the expansion of the movement of
inclusive education. Thus Uzbekistan develops its own way.
A notable
feature of our strategy involves a National and international network and the
use of existing institutions and infrastructure taking into attention the
applying the learning and developping of new approaches.
Almost all those
named above and many other NGO and societies(There are now more than 100 such
societies which cooperate with proper government bodies such as Special
department of the Centre of Education. In present situation this department act
as a coordinating centre where are worked out statutes of special educational
institutions, rehabilitation programs, educational standards for the purpose of
categorising the disables groups and many other work to provide up to date
approach to special education.
Our achievments and goals.
Here are the headlines and steps which are expected to advance the process of inclusive education for those who were formerly excluded away from it.
You can make your own opinion about our steps to inclusive education by
watching the video material we included. I want to only add that we all who are
hardworking about this problem are already able to see today the results of our
efforts. At last, by following strongly our national traditions, customs and
religious views of those with special needs, society has step by step turned to
them to see and understand their needs and admit them into society as its
members…
Hopefully in some time I'll be able to conclude by the words
" as it's rightful members… " It will all depend on the way we continue
our work.
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