Republican Party of Armenia

On October 16 the working group of the National Assembly created for promoting the establishment of the Institute of Protection of Children’s Rights had a meeting with the Head of the Department on Inclusive Education of the Ministry of Education of Portugal and the UNICEF Deputy Head. The occasion of the meeting was the research on the accessibility of services for children with disabilities living in Armenia implemented by the UNICEF upon the request of the RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

The Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Artak Davtyan noted, reading the work presenting the results of the research, “At least we shall have stone hearts for not thinking about help to children in need of everybody’s protection.” In his word, the significance of such research especially increases the necessity for Armenia in turning into the system of universal inclusive education, the relevant law has already passed the first reading, and parliamentary hearings are going to be organized in future.

Presenting details on the research the Deputy of the UNICEF Representative Christina Rochella highlighted the cooperation with the National Assembly, the fact that the issue of the inclusive education was at the center of attention in the legislative body. In the latter’s opinion, first of all it is important to have a picture about the current situation, to which the research done helps for working out right strategy in the sphere.

Maria Filomena Pereira, Head of the Department on Inclusive Education of the Ministry of Education of Portugal , presented the long-year experience and the achievements of their country in the sphere of inclusive education. In her word, the process of the establishment in Portugal has demanded contribution of many years, new knowledge and financial means, and results today are obvious.

The participants of the meeting were interested in the Portuguese experience of turning into the system of inclusive education, the details of the process, a number of problems concerning the sphere.