Inclusive kindergartens pave way for integrated school education in Georgia
Initially Georgia’s three largest cities; Kutaisi, Batumi, and Tbilisi agreed to allocate spaces for these children in the Georgian state-owned kindergartens. Later, Samtredia and Terjola joined the initiative.
Despite the physical or mental barriers they experience, they enjoy interacting with other peers which helps them develop socially appropriate behaviours and skills and allows them to build friendships and relationships with their peers As a result, 115 children with disabilities have been included in seven kindergartens throughout the country. The novelty of the model is that groups of children with disabilities were placed in regular kindergartens where they participated with other groups of children in joint activities, such as festivals or sporting events. World Vision provided special furniture, toys, and learning materials for them and trained 18 teachers in various aspects related to children with disabilities.
Keti Diakonidze, one of the teachers in the integrated/inclusive kindergartens in Tbilisi spends six hours every day working with 11 children with disabilities and says it is important to recognise the benefits that this kindergarten forges.
“These children always require sympathy and care from us,” she says. “They are very sensitive. Despite the physical or mental barriers they experience, they enjoy interacting with other peers which helps them develop socially appropriate behaviours and skills and allows them to build friendships and relationships with their peers.”
The teacher says that children used to be very attached to their parents before, but now they feel more independent. They participate in every party that is arranged to celebrate Christmas or Mother’s Day. They especially love puppet theatre.
“The children without disabilities of this kindergarten want to visit and play and have fun here,” she notes. “The real fun starts then. They play and watch cartoons together. They feel as happy as kids feel together usually,” she adds.
Tea Gvelesiani, 28, is mother to Mariam, 5, who has been participating in this kindergarten for a year already.
“My daughter experiences a cerebral palsy expressed in motion disorder. Despite this, her mental development is ‘normal’. Since enrolling her in this kindergarten I have observed her attitude changes day to day. Now she can make contact more easily with others. She asks me to take her to the kindergarten even on the weekends. Her teachers describe her as one of the most courageous among her peers.”
Medea Chachibaia, director of Mariam’s kindergarten considers integrated/inclusive kindergartens as a “noble initiative” and “inevitable for the future of the society.”
“The project is beneficial both for children with disabilities and the children without disabilities. I can witness how they change every day. Children who do not experience any physical disorder love to play with their peers who are not able to act as ‘normally’ as they do. Though I can see how strongly they express sympathy to them. From their early ages children learn to be helpful to one another and this is the major achievement of these kindergartens.”
Naniko Saghirashvili is a teacher of another integrated/inclusive kindergarten in Tbilisi where 12 children are enrolled. She says after a year of continual interaction towards each other, improved motion and self-control is tangible.
“Most children in our kindergarten suffer from cerebral palsy,” she said. “Some of them have difficulty speaking. However, this does not impede their contact with each other. Some who are able to talk are keen on learning poems. Even their parents are stunned by their children’s achievements.”
When dealing with the issues faced by these children’s families, ISEC project staff discovered that socio-economic problems were their major concern. Governmental assistance for these children is so limited that it barely covers the transportation costs to reach places that provide the necessary services to help them.
Some who are able to talk are keen on learning poems. Even their parents are stunned by their children’s achievements In response, the ISEC project united the parents of children with special needs and trained them on elements of children’s rights advocacy. Together with project staff, they were able to advocate for the renewal of financial assistance towards rehabilitation procedures by the Georgian government.
ISEC also focused on helping parents to improve their social and economic conditions. Seven parents were able to attend special professional training courses and as a result, three of them were able to start new jobs.
Today, the integrated/inclusive kindergartens are now under the jurisdiction of the government and local NGOs to ensure their continuation, following the closure of the three-year ISEC project in October 2009.
World Vision is now focusing its efforts on a new project called Inclusive/Integrated Education Model (IEM) for integrating schools using the same successful model it used in kindergartens. World Vision has agreed with the government on educational programme and launched inclusive classes in three different city schools in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. World Vision also renovated and equipped classes with the necessary equipment and aids and trained teachers to work with children to help them maximise their learning.
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Despite the physical or mental barriers they experience, they enjoy interacting with other peers which helps them develop socially appropriate behaviours and skills and allows them to build friendships and relationships with their peers As a result, 115 children with disabilities have been included in seven kindergartens throughout the country. The novelty of the model is that groups of children with disabilities were placed in regular kindergartens where they participated with other groups of children in joint activities, such as festivals or sporting events. World Vision provided special furniture, toys, and learning materials for them and trained 18 teachers in various aspects related to children with disabilities.
Keti Diakonidze, one of the teachers in the integrated/inclusive kindergartens in Tbilisi spends six hours every day working with 11 children with disabilities and says it is important to recognise the benefits that this kindergarten forges.
“These children always require sympathy and care from us,” she says. “They are very sensitive. Despite the physical or mental barriers they experience, they enjoy interacting with other peers which helps them develop socially appropriate behaviours and skills and allows them to build friendships and relationships with their peers.”
The teacher says that children used to be very attached to their parents before, but now they feel more independent. They participate in every party that is arranged to celebrate Christmas or Mother’s Day. They especially love puppet theatre.
“The children without disabilities of this kindergarten want to visit and play and have fun here,” she notes. “The real fun starts then. They play and watch cartoons together. They feel as happy as kids feel together usually,” she adds.
Tea Gvelesiani, 28, is mother to Mariam, 5, who has been participating in this kindergarten for a year already.
“My daughter experiences a cerebral palsy expressed in motion disorder. Despite this, her mental development is ‘normal’. Since enrolling her in this kindergarten I have observed her attitude changes day to day. Now she can make contact more easily with others. She asks me to take her to the kindergarten even on the weekends. Her teachers describe her as one of the most courageous among her peers.”
Medea Chachibaia, director of Mariam’s kindergarten considers integrated/inclusive kindergartens as a “noble initiative” and “inevitable for the future of the society.”
“The project is beneficial both for children with disabilities and the children without disabilities. I can witness how they change every day. Children who do not experience any physical disorder love to play with their peers who are not able to act as ‘normally’ as they do. Though I can see how strongly they express sympathy to them. From their early ages children learn to be helpful to one another and this is the major achievement of these kindergartens.”
Naniko Saghirashvili is a teacher of another integrated/inclusive kindergarten in Tbilisi where 12 children are enrolled. She says after a year of continual interaction towards each other, improved motion and self-control is tangible.
“Most children in our kindergarten suffer from cerebral palsy,” she said. “Some of them have difficulty speaking. However, this does not impede their contact with each other. Some who are able to talk are keen on learning poems. Even their parents are stunned by their children’s achievements.”
When dealing with the issues faced by these children’s families, ISEC project staff discovered that socio-economic problems were their major concern. Governmental assistance for these children is so limited that it barely covers the transportation costs to reach places that provide the necessary services to help them.
Some who are able to talk are keen on learning poems. Even their parents are stunned by their children’s achievements In response, the ISEC project united the parents of children with special needs and trained them on elements of children’s rights advocacy. Together with project staff, they were able to advocate for the renewal of financial assistance towards rehabilitation procedures by the Georgian government.
ISEC also focused on helping parents to improve their social and economic conditions. Seven parents were able to attend special professional training courses and as a result, three of them were able to start new jobs.
Today, the integrated/inclusive kindergartens are now under the jurisdiction of the government and local NGOs to ensure their continuation, following the closure of the three-year ISEC project in October 2009.
World Vision is now focusing its efforts on a new project called Inclusive/Integrated Education Model (IEM) for integrating schools using the same successful model it used in kindergartens. World Vision has agreed with the government on educational programme and launched inclusive classes in three different city schools in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. World Vision also renovated and equipped classes with the necessary equipment and aids and trained teachers to work with children to help them maximise their learning.
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