NUR-SULTAN – A new law on inclusive education, signed by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on June 26, requires all educational organizations with students with special needs to adapt inclusive educational programs to all students, reported the Akorda press service.
There are more than 162,000 children with special educational needs in Kazakhstan. Photo credit: Business FM.
President Tokayev noted that the number of children with special educational needs in the country continues to grow while current educational norms are outdated at the 5th meeting of the National Council of Public Trust in February.
The new law orders educational institutions to take into account the individual characteristics and capabilities of all their students in order to eradicate discrimination and ensure the flexibility of educational programs for children with special needs.
In addition to the regulations on psychological and pedagogical support services for children with special educational needs, the new law also specifies the admission procedure of such children to kindergartens and schools.
“The bill ensures that curricula will be adapted for children with special needs, individual developmental programs will be implemented and that psychological and pedagogical support will be introduced. A per-capita standard for financing the state-level inclusive educational initiative will also be developed,” said Aide to the Kazakh President Erlan Karin on his Telegram channel.
The institutionalization of inclusive education on the state level is an important step to adhere to the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
It follows after the adoption of the decree “On further human rights measures in Kazakhstan” that implemented the protection of the rights of people with disabilities into law on June 9.
