These 20 schools were selected under the World Bank project "Integration of children with disabilities in regular schools", managed by the Social Investment Fund (MSIF).
Mircea Eşanu, the Executive Manager of the Moldova Social Investment Fund said: "By the end of next year all selected schools will be adapted. Ramps will be build, railings will be installed, toilets and bathrooms will be adapted, etc. in these institutions. Every child deserves to go to a general school, to be guaranteed the right to integrate into society and, thereby, to have a better future."
The statement was made during the event, dedicated to summing up the results of the first phase of the project, organized today, on October 21, 2015, by the World Bank Group’s Moldova office and the MSIF. The event was attended by Alex Kremer, the World Bank Country Director for Moldova, Mircea Eşanu, the Executive Manager of the MSIF, Nadia Cristea, the Deputy Minister of Education, local government representatives from rayons involved in the project.
Alex Kremer, the World Bank Country Director for Moldova said: " There are 17 thousand children with special needs registered in the school system of Moldova, which accounts for about 5% of the total number of pupils. We know from the experience of other countries, that, if children with special needs are provided with learning opportunities, at maturity they become one of the most competitive in the labor market. Although the infrastructure is very important for the access of children with disabilities to schooling, however, the decisive factor is the commitment and dedication of teachers and parents to work with these children."
During the period of 2015-2016, in addition to the infrastructure adaptation of the selected district schools training sessions for teachers and parents will be organized to facilitate successful integration of pupils with disabilities in mainstream schools.
Earlier, 24 rayons were selected in which the assessment of the existing educational services has been carried out. With the support of Lumos Foundation Moldova needs of each rayon in terms of the integration of children with disabilities in the educational process have been identified. Based on this information, rayon administrations were assisted in developing a strategic plan for the development of inclusive education.
The purpose of "The integration of children with disabilities in mainstream schools" Project is to contribute to the implementation of "The national program for the development of inclusive education in Moldova for 2011-2020".
Financial support worth US $ 2.86 million is a grant offered by the Japanese Government through the Policy and Human Resources Development (PHRD) Fund, administered by the World Bank. The project includes investments in infrastructure, teachers training and community mobilization in terms of problems of children with disabilities.
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About the MSIF
Moldova Social Investment Fund is a public institution, created in 1998 by the World Bank to contribute to the implementation of the National Development Strategy in Moldova.
Since the beginning of its activity, the MSIF has implemented over 2,000 sub-projects for financial resources allocated by external donors, including the World Bank, European Union, SIDA, DFID, JSDF, KfW, UNICEF. Currently, Moldova Social Investment Fund manages infrastructure projects, energy efficiency and social inclusion projects worth a total of 32 million euros, offered to Moldova by the Romanian Government, KfW and the World Bank.
