The role of education sector in ensuring the realization of the rights of children with disabilities. From the parallel working sessions of the 4th Child Protection Forum in Tajikistan, 2013.

1. Central Asian Forum
On the role of education in
ensuring the rights of children with disabilities
in Tajikistan
Irina Karimova
Dushanbe, Tajikistan
August 2013

2. Legislative Framework
Education Act, the Republic of Tajikistan,
Article 6:
The State shall guarantee to every child,
regardless of nationality, race, sex, health
status, religion, health, the right to free
education.

3. Law and Policies to Promote
the Rights of CwD
Law of the Republic of Tajikistan "On
Education;"
Law of the Republic of Tajikistan "On Social
Protection of Disabled Persons" (Article 24);
National concept of inclusive education for
children with disabilities 2011 - 2015;
National Strategy for Education Development
2020.

4. CwD and the Education Sector
At present, the Republic of Tajikistan has a
population of more than 7 million people.
Of which, 146,000 are people with disabilities,
including 12,500 children under the age of 16 years;

5. Educational Institutions
486 pre-school institutions;
3830 schools, consisting of:
670 primary schools (grades 1 - 4)
801 basic school (grades 1 - 9)
2,099 secondary schools (grades 1 - 11)
76 boarding schools.

6. Educational Institutions for CwD
5 schools for preschool children with
disabilities, covering 730 children;
The Government of Tajikistan operates 76
boarding schools: 13 of which are for CWD and
5 for children with tuberculosis.

7. The Principles of Inclusive
Education in the Republic of Tajikistan
Inclusive (universal) education; ensuring equal
rights and equal opportunities of access to education;
Responsibility of the state and civil society to ensure
access to education;
Identify and record the individual characteristics and
needs of the individual in the organization of the
educational process;

8. The Principles of Inclusive
Education in the Republic of Tajikistan
Creating an enabling environment for inclusive
education to ensure the priority of individual needs
of the child in receiving (special) education;
Accounting abilities (talent and genius) of the child
at the organization of the learning process.

9. Promoting Inclusive Education
The Ministry of Education has a Department for
Boarding Schools and Special Education, under
which there is a focal person for Inclusive Education;
The Ministry of Education hosted an International
Conference on Inclusive Education in 2011;
The conference resulted in the Inclusive Education
Concept Paper;

10. Promoting Inclusive Education
 With the support of OSI, the Ministry of Education
established a Resource Centre Chair for Inclusive
Education;
 The Ministry of Education annually organises a
summer school that promotes and offers inclusive
education;
 With the support of OSI, the Tajik State Pedagogical
University has opened a Centre on Inclusive
Education and is offering courses to its students (pre-
service teachers) in inclusive education;

11. Promoting Inclusive Education
 With support from UNICEF and AKF, the ECE
curriculum for alternative models promotes and
supports inclusive education;
 Parents’ Associations and local NGOs are actively
working to promote inclusive education and
ensure the right to access quality education for
CwD.

12. Challenges
Lack of data, especially on CwD who are out of
school or who are home-schooled;
Lack of human resources with appropriate
training;
Lack of teaching and learning materials;
Lack of training opportunities for teaching
professionals.

13. Prospects
The Ministry of Education is revising the current
curriculum based on the principles of inclusive
education;
Development of cooperation with foreign
organizations and partners to learn from the
experience and practice of the transition to an
inclusive education;

14. Prospects
The GPE-4 will support the production of teaching
and learning materials;
UNICEF is supporting a baseline study to identify
CwD for better programming and access to
schools;
UNICEF will be supporting the development and
implementation of a course for in-service teachers
on inclusive education;

15. Contact Details
Academy of Education of Tajikistan
Address: Ayni Street, 45, Dushanbe
Website: www.aot.tj
Email: gumanizm@mail.ru
Tel: +992 372 2746 66
+992 907 72 55 94