We are proud to announce the successful completion of Subcomponent 2.3 “Supporting Inclusive Education” of the Education Modernization Project in Kazakhstan, implemented in collaboration with “Astana Inform Service” (Kazakhstan) and “A-Vector” (Ukraine)/UNOWA (Poland) with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (MSHE) and the World Bank. The Project Development Objective was to improve quality and equity in primary and secondary education, particularly in rural schools.
As part of this Project, we developed customized training program and trained faculty staff of universities and teachers and specialists of mainstream secondary schools and special education organizations on Applied Behavior Analysis – ABA and ADOS-2 methodology in order to enable them to make diagnostics and provide support for psychological and pedagogical needs of children with special educational needs (SEN).
As an outcome of the assignment, the gap in the knowledge of teachers about the psychological and pedagogical special support for children with autism spectrum disorders was filled.
To conclude this project, a final seminar was held on June 21, 2024, organized in collaboration with “Astana Inform Service” (Kazakhstan) and “A-Vector” (Ukraine)/UNOWA (Poland). Key figures supporting the commitment to inclusive education spoke at the seminar:
- Gulzat Kobenova, Chairman of the Committee for Higher and Postgraduate Education of the MSHE, highlighted the future of Kazakhstan’s education system and the importance of sustainable development of the inclusive education system.
- Dastan Yessenov, Coordinator of the Project Management Group, emphasized new opportunities for the support and development of children with SEN.
- Mikhail Kalitkin, Academic Director of UNOWA/”A-Vector”, noted significant improvements in the quality of support for children thanks to the ABA and ADOS-2 methodologies.
- Andrey Vyshnyak, Executive Director of UNOWA/”A-Vector”, presented the training results and future prospects.
- Alexander Sorokin, an International Expert and Author of Methods for Diagnosing Autism, stressed the importance of early autism diagnosis.
- Ainur Nurova, National Expert and Behavioral Analyst at BCBA, emphasized the integration of new methodologies into the educational process.
During the panel session, important speeches were delivered:
- Klara Turebayeva noted the practicality of the knowledge within the framework of the training.
- Ekaterina Drauzina highlighted practical aspects of using the acquired knowledge in the work of the secondary education system.
- Zaure Dzhangeldinova spoke about the importance of systematic methodological work.
A special moment was the speech by Kirill Kalitkin, a ten-year-old boy with autism, who shared his story of work and successful development based on ABA programs and diagnostic systems. It was a touching reminder of the significance of our work.
The seminar ended with a summing up and presentation of certificates to the participants, which became a symbolic completion of the project. Nevertheless, our work does not conclude here.
We express our sincere gratitude to all participants and partners. Your support and participation made this project possible and contributed to the real improvement of the future for children with SEN in Kazakhstan.
Our journey is just beginning. We will continue to work on improving educational practices and supporting children with SEN. Thank you for being with us!