Discussion of inclusive education in Kazakhstan

On September 21, 2022, an informal meeting of Director of RSI «National Scientific and Practical Centre for Special and Inclusive Education Development» of the RK Ministry of Education Aykerim Kuderinova with students was held at Abai University. The topic of the event was «Process of Inclusive Education in Kazakhstan».

Darhan Bilyalov, Rector of Abai KazNPU, Galiya Abaeva, Director of the Institute of Pedagogy and Psychology, and students took part in the meeting.

The aim of the meeting was to explain the changes in pedagogy in the country, to share the subtleties of the in-demand profession and to orientate future teachers.

The rector noted the importance of inclusive education in the field of education and highlighted the initiatives taken by the state to ensure accessibility of education for persons with disabilities. Our task, first of all, is to provide schools with highly qualified specialists to teach children with special educational needs. Unfortunately, their number is growing.

Aikerim Kuderinova, an experienced expert in inclusive education, spoke to the students in detail about the features and possibilities of inclusive education and shared her experience. In addition, university students talked freely about their experiences gained during the pedagogical practice, as well as expressed their views on how to work with children who have a need for general and inclusive education.

It should be noted that Abai KazNPU is making a worthy contribution to the development of inclusive education.  This year, with the support of Dara Foundation, a training and research laboratory of inclusive education was opened, where research in the field of inclusive and special education is conducted jointly with experts in the field, student training and the use of laboratory resources and new industry technologies in training school teachers, competent, practice-oriented teaching staff of the new formation is strengthened.