Teaching the importance of inclusive education to his peers, Kyrgyz child with disabilities attends school regularly

BISHKEK, 15 May 2015 - 10-year-old Abdumajid did not go to school for a year. Living in Moskovskii District, a semi-urban area near capital city Bishkek of Kyrgyzstan, Abdumajid has motor impairments that kept him in the home for the 2013-2014 school year. Living with his father and grandmother, he received home education until being reached in May 2014 by the European Union funded project "Promoting, protecting and enforcing the rights of people with disabilities in Kyrgyzstan", implemented by Save the Children.

Abdumajid’s grandmother, Miyan Khunlova, recalls the boredom and isolation that he faced while absent from school. “I was not able to read books to him due to my weak sight,” she said, “he was always asking to buy him books for reading. I am heartily sorry for him as his mother left him when he was a little baby, but I am really happy that Abdumajid is now going to school again. Now, when he is coming back from school, he asks me to help him with his home-work.”

Now by attending school regularly and as an active member of his school’s Child-Led Organization (CLO), Abdumajid has participated in various trainings and awareness raising events on inclusive education organized by Save the Children. “Save the Children helped me find out new things as I did not know before. I learned that I should go to school every day as often as possible despite of health condition as this is my basic right to get quality education with other children. I got to know about other basic rights as my participation in all school and out of school activities and on child protection,” he said. 

In addition to his own development, Abdumajid started to note the changing attitude of his classmates. Whereas before they often misbehaved toward him, his classmates are beginning to respect him as they are also learning about inclusive education and that children with disabilities can be very successful and engaged in school just like any other child. He is starting to feel like any ordinary child among other students. 

“I have seen a lot of changes in myself as well as in my friends’ behaviors. Now I can discuss child right, IE issue with peers, present my skills in front of schoolmates and other peers, at school meetings and other events. I’m passing the messages which I have learned in the training with the CLO to my friends and family members,” he said.

Through his participation in the project’s activities, Abdumajid has become empowered to educate others on the importance of inclusive education and the rights of children with disabilities using child-to-child methodology.  “Now I help weak children in the class to be involved to the learning process. I learned about the UN child rights convention, about child rights, child participation and child protection thanks to the activities organized by Save the Children,” he said.

The European Union funded project works to create a positive community environment where rights of children with disabilities are enforced and their participation is enhanced. Save the Children has been working on Inclusive Education in Kyrgyzstan since 1998 with support of different donors, being the leading agency in the country for advocating the rights of children with disabilities.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This article reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.