Inclusive, special education

Fulfilling the right of children with special educational needs to education

15616 children with special educational needs are registered in psychological - medical - pedagogical consultation units, including 3978 children with disabilities.

Inclusive Education Development Program for 2018-2020 was developed and approved by the order of Akim of the region in order to create high-quality conditions for teaching children with special educational needs.

The key planned indicators of the State Program of Education and Science Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2016 - 2019 were achieved in terms of ensuring equal access for children to educational services, i.e. improving the inclusive education system.

“Barrier-free zones” providing access for children with special educational needs and children with disabilities to the general educational setting were created in 609 secondary schools, accounting for 93% of their total number that is 38 ones more compared to the same period last year. (in 2018 - 571).

The number of general education schools teaching inclusively children with special educational needs amounted to 442 schools or 62.8% of their total number with an increase of 53 units. (2018 - 389).

There are 1,037 schoolchildren in 119 correction- and development-training units at secondary schools.

In schools and preschool organizations, where it is impossible to open a special unit, group or speech therapy facility, but there are children with special educational needs, 155 full-time services for defectologists and speech therapists are introduced (71 full-time services for schools, 84 full-time services for preschool institutions), which is 9 units more compared to the previous year (in 2018 - 146 full-time services of defectologists and speech therapists).  

A coverage of children with inclusive education increased by 10% and amounted to 6557 children, or 42% of the total number of children with special educational needs (in 2018 - 5108 children).

There are 10 special groups in preschool institutions.

There are 6 psychological, medical and pedagogical consultation units to identify and record children in this category (1 in 60,000 of the child population).

There are 13 psychological and special education units (hereinafter-PSEU) in the region to provide corrective support to children with special educational developmental needs. PSEU is attended by 730 children (669 children in 2018).

As part of the implementation of the Inclusive Education Development Program, 4 psychological and special education units are opened in Ayagoz, Shemonaikha, Tarbagatai districts, Semey. PSEU of Semey has been operating since January 2019, other PSEU are under equipment.

There are 93 speech therapy centers in general educational institutions (including 22 in schools, 71 in kindergartens), reaching 2054 children with speech disorder. The number of speech therapy facilities increased by 4 units compared to the previous year.

The network of special correctional schools has not changed and amounted to 12 units. There are 1684 school-age children in special correctional boarding schools, (regional schools - boarding schools for children with intellectual disabilities - 839, for children with mental retardation - 392, a boarding school for children with vision disorder - 218, a boarding school for children with hearing and speech disorder - 211, a boarding school for children with complex disabilities - 24), including 132 children of preschool age are brought up in these institutions (61 in preschool training groups, 71 in the preschool group). 6 preschool institutions reach 742 children.

Since the beginning of 2019-2020, a rehabilitation center has been operating in the region reaching 64 children.

Information on orphans and children without parental care of East Kazakhstan region

In East Kazakhstan region at the beginning of 2020, the number of orphans and children without parental care amounted to 2624 children, including 1863 (71%) children are brought up in foster families, 761 (29%) children are in public institutions. 

There are 10 institutions for orphans, including 7 institutions in the education system, 2 children's homes in the healthcare system, 1 child care center for the provision of special social services in the social protection system.

In the region, there is an annual positive trend in reducing the number of orphans and children without parental care.

Over the past 10 years, the number of children in this category decreased by 1793 children (in 2009 - 4417), including the contingent of foster children of children's homes by 1288 children (in 2009 - 2049). Over 10 years, 2517 children were placed in families from children's homes, including 477 children were adopted, 529 were placed in foster families, 232 - under guardianship or custodianship, 9 - in foster homes, 1270 returned to their own families.

In connection with the contingent reduction, measures are being taken to optimize educational institutions for orphans and children without parental care. As a result, the number of educational institutions for orphans and children without parental care decreased by 11 units over the past 10 years.

By the decision of East Kazakhstan regional akimat dated May 2, 2019 No. 142 On reorganization of educational institutions, Center for Supporting Children in Difficult Situations was established at Education Department of East Kazakhstan region through the merger of Naualy children's home, Novoshulba regional children's home and Center for Adaptation of Minors of Ridder town.

By 2021, as part of the Comprehensive Plan to Support Orphans and Children without Parental Care, it is intended to create another Center to support children in difficult situations.

In the region, targeted work is underway to place orphans in families. Within the framework of the memorandum, cooperation is being conducted with Mom’s Home, Zhanuya adoption support center. In order to inform the population of alternative forms of family placement of orphans (adoption, guardianship, foster care, foster family), local authorities of cities and districts are planning awareness-raising through the regional media, social networks, etc.