Community action for full inclusion in education

Project Duration: 01.02.2017 – 28.02.2019

Target groups

• An estimated 200 children with disabilities in school age who are out of education in Shirak Province
• 12 schools (6 urban, 6 rural) in Shirak Province (7 communities: 1 urban and 6 rural) with a particular focus on school authority, teachers (350) and all children (3150)
• The parents of children with disabilities who do not attend school in Shirak Province (estimated 300)
• Local Department of Education in Shirak Province

Location: Shirak Province

Overall objective:
Children with disabilities who are currently out of education enjoy their human rights for inclusive education, as specified in Article 24 of the UNCRPD․

Specific objectives:

• Ensure that children with disabilities who are currently out of education in the region of Shirak receive quality education in their neighborhood mainstream schools
• Strengthen community capacity to monitor and enforce enrolment of disabled children to school and report on cases of its violation․

Expected results։

• Children with disabilities who are currently out of education in the region of Shirak will be identified so that consequently they could be referred to receive quality education in their neighbourhood mainstream schools
• The case files for children with disabilities will be aggregated into a regional roster.
• Inclusive cultures and practices in schools are improved the internationally used Index for Inclusion is available in Armenian language and is practiced in 12 schools
• Greater public awareness and support to ensure that children with disabilities who are currently out of education start receiving quality education in their neighbourhood mainstream schools
• Stronger community capacity is developed to monitor and enforce enrolment of disabled children to school and to report on cases of violation through community based monitoring system

Activities

1․ Selection of schools and mapping survey to find out the children who are out of education in Shirak province.

• To establish a case file for each child with disability who is left out of education in Shirak Province Aggregate the case files into a Regional roster (with all case files integrated)
• Translate into Armenian the International Index for Inclusion tool and adapt to the local reality
• Provide training to 12 school administration and teachers in Shirak on the Index for inclusion and support schools and their communities to introduce it
• Provide counselling to the families of children with disabilities out of school
• Conduct public awareness campaign on the need of inclusive education for all

2․ Strengthen community capacity to monitor and enforce enrolment of disabled children to school and to report on cases of its violation.

• Develop a monitoring system to ensure ongoing collection of information about children with disabilities out of education and their school enrolment status
• Produce reports highlighting cases of violation and submit them to the relevant authorities for resolution

Project is financed by: European Union, Austrian Development Cooperation, Caritas Austria

Partners:  National Association of School Parents Council Members (NASPCM)

Project manager: Gayane Norikyan

Coordinator: Ani Maghakyan