Over 380 teachers, principals and specialists from all over the country discussed the new Law on school and preschool education and the Bulgarian model of inclusive school
The annual international inclusive education conference “One school for all – building an inclusive school environment” was held on December 12, 2015 at the National Palace of Culture. The event was opened by Vanya Kastreva, Deputy-Minister of Education and Science, Maria Jesus Conde, UNICEF Representative in Bulgaria, Natalia Miteva, America for Bulgaria Foundation and Iva Boneva, Executive Director of
Centre for Inclusive Education (CIE).
Special guest was prof. Douglas Cheney, University of Washington, Seattle who focused on key aspects of inclusive practices in the USA. Over 380 teachers, principals and specialists from all over the country discussed the new Law on school and preschool education, shared experience, ideas and practices to build inclusive school environment during the fourth panel discussions – school management, pedagogical practices, child safeguarding and partnership with parents. The conference was organized by Centre for Inclusive Education and was held with the support of America for Bulgaria Foundation within “One school for all” programme and UNICEF.
Central focus of the conference was the presentation of the Bulgarian model of inclusive school, which CIE developed together with 5 partner schools and experts from the USA and Europe. The model’s successful implementation requires coordinated and systematic participation of all stakeholders of the school community in four major fields - school management, pedagogical practices, child safeguarding and partnership with parents. All these four elements are interconnected and interact in a way which supports and reinforces their action. The model follows several major principles, which have proven importance to implement successfully inclusive practices and policies – team decision making, decisions, based on data and practices, based on evidences of their effectiveness.
It was also discussed during the conference how inclusive education principles and philosophy, underlying the new Law on school and preschool education and the under development inclusive education standard, will be executed in practice. The participants had the opportunity to ask their questions and to share their worries to representatives of Ministry of Education and Science. There are several new aspects in the Law. It confirms the inclusive education as part of the right of education. Simultaneously the school gets the opportunity to manage and organize alone the support to its pupils. Every child, who in a certain moment needs learning support, could count school to do it. Special attention is paid to the early recognition and prevention of learning difficulties.
During the second part of the conference in four consecutive panel discussions were argued the four major elements to build an inclusive school environment – school management, pedagogical practices, child safeguarding and partnership with parents. The moderators and panelists shared and discussed ideas and practices to build an inclusive school environment and the participants had the opportunity to ask exciting for them questions.
All presentations of the conference could be seen at the virtual centre for inclusive education www.priobshti.se. It unites at one place resources to support teachers, parents and specialists in the field of special educational difficulties and is part of “One school for all” programme, which is executed with the support of America for Bulgaria Foundation and works with teachers and specialists of 5 mainstream schools in the country.
