Current Problems of Special Pedagogy Training in Kazakhstan

On November 5, 2021, on the initiative of MES RK at Abai KazNPU a meeting of the educational and methodical association of the project management group in the field of education «Pedagogical Sciences» on the training of specialists in special pedagogy was organized and held. Representatives of higher educational institutions of Kazakhstan, Centre of social adaptation and professional rehabilitation of children and teenagers with mental and physical development disorders, National Scientific and Practical Centre for development of special and inclusive education, associations of employers took part at the meeting online.

Current problems of the status, perspectives and challenges of special educators` training in the Republic of Kazakhstan were discussed. Educational programs, scientific and methodological support, employment of special educators, as well as work of the project group on supporting children with autism and mental retardation were discussed.

The meeting was opened by Darkhan Bilyalov, Chairman of the Board-Rector of Abai KazNPU, Chairman of the Chairman of the Educational and Methodological Association - Project Management Group.

Banu Narbekova, Deputy Director of the Department of Higher and Postgraduate Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, acted as moderator.

Presentations were made by the Director of the Institute of Pedagogy and Psychology at our university Galiya Abayeva, General director of the Centre for Social Adaptation and Vocational Rehabilitation of Children and Teenagers with Intellectual and Physical Developmental Disabilities (SAVR) Roza Suleimenova, Director of the Institute of Pedagogy and Psychology of KazNWTTU Gulzhan Orazaeva, Director of the Resource Consulting Centre on Inclusive Education for HEIs of the Republic of Kazakhstan at Abai KazNPU Zulfiya Movkebayeva, Director of the National Practical Science Centre for Special and Inclusive Education Development Aigerim Kuderinova, Coordinator of the project group on creating a support system for children with autism and other mental disabilities Asel Junusova.

Having heard the presentations and discussed the actual problems of special pedagogy training, the participants exchanged their views. As a result, an action plan was approved to improve the training of special educators and recommendations were developed for universities in Kazakhstan.