UNICEF calls on Ukraine to continue work on inclusive education despite difficulties

Head of UNICEF's education programmes in Ukraine Bohdan Yarema said this at the All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukraine 30. Education and Science" on Tuesday, June 1, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“I would like to call on our partners in government not to deviate from this path and not to get disappointed at finding any situational setbacks, since the process of transition to inclusion is difficult not only in Ukraine, but also abroad, primarily because it has many factors,” Yarema said.

He called the understanding of the need for inclusion by teachers, parents and children as one of the main factors. In this context, according to the UNICEF representative, people should rely on scientific arguments and evidence-based policy.

In addition, Yarema noted that the passive presence of children with special educational needs at school is not a marker of inclusion, since they need to be prepared for an independent adult life.

In conclusion, he expressed hope that school education reform in Ukraine would continue, and pledged UNICEF's continued support for it.

As Ukrinform reported, Deputy Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Laura Bill said that school education reform in Ukraine should take into account such a new challenge as the growing inequality in access to quality educational services due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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