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The deputy of the National Assembly Zaruhi Batoyan proposed amendments to the Law on Education due to the need to ensure the inclusion of the organization of education for people with special educational needs, including those with disabilities, in pre-school, general education, primary (handicraft) and secondary vocational educational institutions.

The proposed addenda were debated at the sitting of the NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport chaired by Sisak Gabrielyan on September 6.

According to Zaruhi Batoyan, in 2014, the financing for general educational institutions for students with special educational needs was provided in increased amounts. It is also stipulated by the RA Law on Education. The allocated funding, however, was mainly directed to the remuneration of specialists, and the process of creating reasonable accommodations according to the individual needs of children did not receive enough attention. According to the draft, pre-school, general education, primary and secondary vocational educational institutions will receive targeted funding from the state budget in order to provide reasonable accommodations.

The law stipulates that children studying in special school-resource centers are provided with textbooks, special stationery and equipment, scientific-methodical materials, but the responsibilities are not clarified, and it is not clear who is obliged to provide the abovementioned. A state obligation will be established to provide students of all classes of educational institutions implementing a special program with textbooks and other materials necessary for learning at the expense of state funds.

The author proposes recognizing invalid Article 19 of the law, which defines the powers of the state to establish special schools.

“Zaruhi Batoyan’s proposals are in line with the policy implemented by the Government and are aimed at strengthening the quality of inclusiveness at all levels of education,” the RA Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan said, presenting the viewpoint of the Government. According to her, the purpose of the amendments made in the field is to make education accessible to all children, regardless of their problems.

In her co-report, the Deputy Chair of the Committee Taguhi Ghazaryan also highlighted the legislative proposal, noting that it corresponds to the policy of the Government and the education development strategy.

The Committee endorsed the initiative.

The debate of the draft law on Ratifying the Convention of the Commonwealth of Independent States on Cooperation in the field of Exploration and Use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes was postponed up to two months.