14 March 2025
NATIONAL KURULTAI: INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AS A PRIORITY
A significant event was held in Burabay – the IV meeting of the National Kurultai with the participation of Kasym-Jomart Tokayev. The head of state outlined strategic areas that require close attention of the authorities and society. One of these areas is children with special needs and the creation of conditions for their development and rehabilitation. The pedagogical community supports the statement of this problem, as the issue of accessibility of education and development of children with special educational needs has been long overdue, and the fact that the Head of State drew attention to it in his speech is welcomed by all teachers of the country.
In recent years, Kazakhstan has taken active steps to integrate children with special educational needs (SEN) into general educational institutions. According to statistical data for 2024, about 15% of children with special educational needs already attend general education schools, which indicates positive developments in this direction. However, infrastructural problems seriously hinder the process of integration of children with SEN in educational centers and schools. The main aspects of this problem include: insufficient number of centers to cover children with SEN in the regions, physical inaccessibility of buildings, lack of specialized equipment.
But all these issues can be solved, if we take measures, which the President of the country draws attention to – “In each regional center should be built centers for rehabilitation and development of special children, where will be engaged with special children and children who have been diagnosed with autism” and this statement of the question solves many problems of parents who have children with disabilities.
Inclusive education today is a necessity, because we realize that any child is unique, any child is a personality and only in society they acquire the necessary knowledge and skills. And, of course, they acquire the most important thing – the experience of socialization. Every school should have special teachers on its staff: speech therapist, defectologist, sign language therapist, adaptive physical education instructor. And, of course, teaching assistants. Today pedagogical assistants are already working in a number of general education schools. They accompany children with autism spectrum disorders in support and inclusion rooms.
S. Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University fully supports the initiatives of the President of the country and has been training qualified specialists for many years, innovative methods and special equipment for children with disabilities are being developed, the Center of competence for psychological and pedagogical training and methodological and technological support for children with special educational needs, the Center of Continuing and Inclusive Education “DANA BALA” for children with disabilities and their parents are actively working.
Careful study of the speech of the President of the country, the proposed measures to address the issue of inclusive education inspire confidence that the development of a unified program “Children of Kazakhstan”, a new law regulating comprehensive support for children with special needs will successfully implement the tasks set to expand accessibility of children to quality education.
Irina Rovnyakova, member of the regional commission on women’s affairs and family and demographic policy.