Approximately 150,000 children with special abilities reside within Kazakhstan.
Embracing Diversity: Revolutionizing Kazakh Education for All. In Kazakhstan, a staggering 150,000 children with special needs call this land home, with numbers steadily climbing each year. Diving into the efforts to socialize these innocent minds, the concept of inclusive education, and its indispensable significance in society, Zakon.kz sheds light on a transformative journey.
Inclusive education champions equal access to quality knowledge for every child, irrespective of their abilities. Rooted in this belief, Kazakhstan ratified the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008, and the Convention against Discrimination in Education in 2016. Since 2020, the nation's schools have officially embraced inclusivity. By law, everyone in Kazakhstan is ensured educational opportunities – no exceptions. But how does this play out in practice?
Since 2016, the first Center for Social Inclusive Programs (CSIP) in the nation, situated in Almaty, has been a beacon of hope. housing students with various physical, mental, and developmental challenges – including autism and cerebral palsy.
"Our mission is twofold: to raise awareness about the issues of special children and foster a tolerant, empathetic society towards them," says the center's director, Saltanat Murtazalina-Yakubova. She emphasizes that inclusive education accelerates socialization, enabling children to pick up habits, make friends, and blend seamlessly into society.
Today, around 100 children with developmental challenges attend the CSIP. Combining educational activities with typically developing children, the center is mirroring a more inclusive world for these young souls.
Specialists at the CSIP have observed a marked improvement in the overall psycho-emotional state of their students. Remarkably, typically developing children now actively participate and showcase unprecedented empathy, compassion, acceptance, and support towards their peers with special needs.
However, the path to full-fledged inclusion isn't smooth. Occasionally, exceptional students face bullying, compelling some parents to opt for home schooling. At the CSIP, these marginalized children find a refuge, transforming the world of special children into a part of the world meant for every individual. The hope is that Kazakh society is gradually acknowledging the fundamental equality between all children.
Inclusive classrooms are staffed with dedicated tutors, crucial for shaping the psychological well-being of their students. These tutors function as specialists trained to work with children with special needs, optimally assigned one-on-one. Saltanat Murzalinova-Yakoleva visionary director of the CSIP, believes, "Training a hundred tutors will empower them to serve schools, proving this approach's effectiveness."
In Kazakhstan, training centers for essential specialists in inclusive education are still in the infancy phase. Ideally, tutors should undergo university-level training – a practice already established in many nations. Saltanat Murzalinova-Yakoleva elaborates, "It's essential to establish a tutor center and special inclusive schools to bridge this gap and hasten the development of inclusive education." Inspired by successful global models, she suggests an external inclusive center for tutor training – a hub where tutors specialize based on the unique needs of the children.
Special children require undivided attention, and in a classroom of 30 students, it becomes nearly impossible for educators to cater to their specific needs – especially those with conditions like autism. Establishing a centralized tutor training system, teaching children with special needs in small classes, will significantly expedite the implementation of inclusive education. A professional assistant can rehabilitate and integrate children with disabilities more efficiently, ensuring they have a better chance of functioning independently in society in the future.
Children with autism and cerebral palsy, a special category of citizens, need help, understanding, and acceptance. Murzalinova-Yakovleva, an expert in this field, expresses that the primary goal is to help these children communicate effectively. "By fostering an environment where special children can express themselves, socialize, and develop essential life skills, our organization is envisioning a future where they feel less isolated, have friends, and have the support they need," she says.
Regrettably, the progress toward inclusive education faces hurdles. A lack of government support and a scarcity of specialists are hindering the development in several aspects. While some officials recognize the necessity and goodness of this system, they seem hesitant to take decisive action. Parents of special children contribute significantly to the cause, transforming into tutors themselves. Aseль Карибаева, a mother of two center students, affirms, "Seeing the progress in their children gives many parents the motivation to join the program and become tutors." The socialization and adaptation of children with special needs are only possible with active societal involvement.
Lastly, it's essential to acknowledge that teachers cannot shoulder the responsibility of tutoring students with special needs – their administrative duties dominate their time. Ideally, it's the job of trained tutors and assistants to help zero in on the specific needs of these exceptional children. The world is evolving, and Kazakhstan is following suit. One step at a time, the nation is paving the way for more inclusive education and making strides towards a melting pot of diverse minds.
- Despite challenges like bullying and a lack of government support, the Center for Social Inclusive Programs (CSIP) in Almaty, Kazakhstan, is making significant strides in adopting inclusive education principles.
- The CSIP's visionary director, Saltanat Murtazalina-Yakubova, advocates for the integration of children with disabilities into mainstream education, emphasizing the importance of learning and self-development for all.
- To fully integrate children with disabilities into society, Kazakhstan needs to focus on education, training specialists, and establishing inclusive schools that cater to the unique needs of each student, regardless of their learning abilities.
- As Kazakhstan works to embrace diversity and revolutionize its education system, the hope is that more children with disabilities will have equal opportunities for education and self-development, regardless of their specific challenges.
