The Issues of Improving the Inclusive Education System in Uzbekistan

Purpose of the study. With the emergence of new requirements for higher education institutions in the educational market services and in the labor market, there is a need to find effective methods of managing education in the conditions of the development of market relations; universities and institutions are faced with the task of creating techniques for ensuring the quality of educational services. Particular relevance is the formation of a system for ensuring the quality of education for different categories of students, including persons with disabilities. The purpose of the study is to review the situation with the state of inclusive education, based on foreign experience as an attempt to analyze the situation in other countries, as well as provide recommendations for further improvement in order to make inclusive education a reality for a large number of children and their families. It is possible that these studies will help to create an inspirational climate more conducive to “education for all” in society and make it easier for children who may have been excluded from education in the past.

Materials and methods. The methodological basis of the study was activity, personality-oriented, systemic, project and individually creative approaches. The volume of materials can be conditionally divided into several groups - decrees and resolutions of the government of the Republic of Uzbekistan, reports and studies of international organizations, works of scholars and researchers. An analysis of the historiography of the issue showed that despite of a significant number of studies in the field of education, including inclusive education, there are still no studies that analyze foreign experience and integrate that data on study in the field of inclusive education in the Republic of Uzbekistan. This article is an attempt to analyze the situation in Uzbekistan, consider the measures taken in the Republic of Uzbekistan to introduce inclusive education, analyze the experience of other countries and offer recommendations.

Results. Significant work is being done in Uzbekistan to create living conditions; education for people with disabilities, a legislative framework has been created to make conditions for the further development of people with disabilities. The article explores the experience of foreign countries and Central Asian countries in the development of inclusive education. Especially, the situation with the education of persons with disabilities in Uzbekistan are being reviewed, besides, the access of children to get education, as well as receiving vocational and higher education is being studied in addition with the legislative framework in this specialty. It is noted that the problem of disabled people with education is one of the central issues for the republic.

Conclusion. Thus, we conclude that the social inclusion of children and adults with disabilities requires broad systemic changes and a multisectoral approach that removes institutional and structural barriers, allowing persons with disabilities to meet their basic needs related to health, rehabilitation, economic and social security as well as learning and skills development within living in their communities.

In our conditions, which are unfavorable for the most independent life of disabled people, reducing the degree of state responsibility for the well-being of citizens with disabilities is fraught with high social risks. The transition to independent living and inclusion should be carried out using development guidelines by taking into account national interests and socio-economic contexts, the emphasis should be on removing barriers to provide young people with disabilities with education.

1. Kadysheva O. Inklyuzivnoye obrazovaniye v Uzbekistane nabirayet novyye oboroty = Inclusive education in Uzbekistan is gaining new momentum [Internet]. Available from: https://nuz.uz/obschestvo/16523-inklyuzivnoe-obrazovanie-v-uzbekistane-nabiraet-novye-oboroty.html.

2. Zakon Respubliki Uzbekistan O pravakh lits s invalidnost’yu ot 15.10.2020 g. №ZRU-641 = Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan On the rights of persons with disabilities dated October 15, 2020 No. ZRU-641 [Internet]. Available from: https://lex.uz/ru/docs/5049549.

3. Senatory odobrili zakon «O pravakh lits s invalidnost’yu». Sayt «Podrobno.uz». 11 sentyabrya 2020= Senators approved the law “On the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.” Website “Details. uz”. September 11, 2020 [Internet]. Available from: https://podrobno.uz/cat/obchestvo/senatory-odobrili-zakon-o-pravakh-lits-s-invalidnostyu-dokument-predostavit-invalidam-ryad-novykh-lg/

4. Zeytts U. Krizis i vosstanovleniye v Uzbekistane: ekonomicheskiye i sotsial’nyye posledstviya COVID-19. Gruppa Vsemirnogo banka = Crisis and recovery in Uzbekistan: economic and social consequences of COVID-19. World Bank Group. 2021. [Internet]. Available from: https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/a141cb6bace3f340df173e75d4463970-0080062021/original/L2CUCOVID-19-Rev2020-Cleared-UZB.pdf.

5. Zeytts U. i dr. Uzbekistan: vyyavleniye riskov vozdeystviya COVID-19 na urovne obshchin. Gruppa Vsemirnogo banka = Uzbekistan: identifying the risks of exposure to COVID-19 at the community level. World Bank Group [Internet]. Available from: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/34925/UzbekistanDynamically-Identifying-Community-Level-COVID-19-Impact-Risks.pdf.

6. Yusupov D. Uzbekistan: kak obespechit’ dostupnost’ vysshego obrazovaniya dlya lyudey s invalidnost’yu? CABAR.asia, 1 marta 2019 = Uzbekistan: how to ensure the availability of higher education for people with disabilities? CABAR.asia, March 1, 2019 [Internet]. Available from: https://cabar.asia/en/uzbekistan-how-to-ensure-higher-education-accessibility-forpeople-with-disabilities#_ftn4.

7. Bakayeva F., Muratova D. Analiticheskiy doklad po rezul’tatam monitoringa prav invalidov na dostup k transportnym uslugam. Natsional’nyy tsentr Respubliki Uzbekistan po pravam cheloveka, PROON v Uzbekistane = Analytical report on the results of monitoring the rights of disabled people to access transport services. National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights, UNDP in Uzbekistan. 2015.

8. Alekhina S.V. Inclusive education: from policy to practice. Psikhologicheskaya nauka i obrazovaniye = Psychological science and education. 2016; 21; 1: 136–145. (In Russ.)

9. Akimova O.I. Inclusive education as a modern model of education for persons with disabilities. Inklyuzivnoye obrazovaniye: metodologiya, praktika, tekhnologiya. Materialy mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii (20-22 iyunya 2011). Pod red. S. V. Alekhinoy = Inclusive education: methodology, practice, technology. Materials of the international scientific-practical conference (June 20-22, 2011). Ed. S. V. Alekhina. Moscow: Moscow State Pedagogical University; 2011. (In Russ.)

10. Shipitsyna L.M. Trends and difficulties of inclusive education in modern Russia. Inklyuzivnoye obrazovaniye: praktika, issledovaniya, metodologiya: Sb. materialov II Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii. Otv. red. Alekhina S. V.= Inclusive education: practice, research, methodology: Sat. materials of the II International scientific-practical conference. Rep. ed. Alekhina S. V. Moscow: Moscow State Pedagogical University, 2013. (In Russ.)

11. Krayneva Ye.I. Socio-pedagogical effects of inclusive education. Inklyuzivnoye obrazovaniye: praktika, issledovaniya, metodologiya: Sb. materialov II Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii. Otv. red. Alekhina S. V.= Inclusive education: practice, research, methodology: Sat. materials of the II International scientific-practical conference. ed. Alekhina S. V. Moscow: Moscow State Pedagogical University; 2013. (In Russ.)

12. Pugachev A.S. Inclusive education [Internet]. Molodoy uchenyy = Young scientist. 2012; 10(45): 374–377. Available from: https://moluch.ru/archive/45/5498/. (In Russ.)

13. Issledovatel’skaya komanda Shkoly sotsial’noy raboty Kolumbiyskogo universiteta, Gruppa sotsial’nykh vmeshatel’stv, itogovyy otchet «Rabotniki sotsial’nykh sluzhb (RSS) v Uzbekistane: sil’nyye storony, problemy i sleduyushchiye shagi» = Columbia University School of Social Work Research Team, Social Intervention Group, Final Report Social Service Workers (SWs) in Uzbekistan: Strengths, Challenges and Next Steps [Internet]. 2018. Available from: https://www.unicef.org/uzbekistan/media/3366/file/Report%20on%20Assessment%20of%20SSW%20UZ_2018_eng.pdf.

14. Otchet Analiz situatsii detey i vzroslykh s invalidnost’yu v Uzbekistane. YUNISEF Uzbekistan = Report Analysis of the situation of children and adults with disabilities in Uzbekistan. UNICEF Uzbekistan [Internet]. 2019. Available from: https://www.unicef.org/uzbekistan/media/3571/file/Brief%20PwD%20SitAn.pdf.

15. Otchet Sozdaniye natsional’noy sistemy sotsial’noy zashchity, uchityvayushchey interesy detey i molodezhi Uzbekistana, YUNISEF Uzbekistan = Report Creation of a national system of social protection that takes into account the interests of children and youth in Uzbekistan, UNICEF Uzbekistan [Internet]. 2020. Available from: https://www.unicef.org/uzbekistan/en/reports/building-national-social-protection-system-fit-uzbekistans-children-and-youth.

16. Otchet «Analiz situatsii detey i vzroslykh s invalidnost’yu v Uzbekistane». Organizatsiya Ob”yedinennykh Natsiy (Uzbekistan) = Report “Analysis of the situation of children and adults with disabilities in Uzbekistan”. United Nations (Uzbekistan) [Internet]. 2019 Available from: https://uzbekistan.un.org/index.php/ru/47381-analiz-situacii-detey-i-vzroslykh-s-invalidnostyu-v-uzbekistane-kratkaya-versiya.

17. Agentstvo po delam molodezhi Respubliki Uzbekistan. Proyekt «IMKON» (Vozmozhnost’) = Agency for Youth Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Project “IMKON” (Opportunity) [Internet]. 2021. Available from: https://yoshlar.gov.uz/en/project/%22imkon%22-loyihasi/.

18. Uzbeksko-yaponskiy tsentr razvitiya lyudskikh resursov = Uzbek-Japanese Center for the Development of Human Resources [Internet]. 2020. Available from: https://ujc.uz/kompyuternye-kursy/.

19. Pravitel’stvo Respubliki Uzbekistan i agentstva OON (PROON, YUNESKO, YUNFPA, YUNISEF i VOZ v Uzbekistane). Otchet Analiz situatsii detey i vzroslykh s invalidnost’yu v Uzbekistane = Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and UN agencies (UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO in Uzbekistan). Report Analysis of the situation of children and adults with disabilities in Uzbekistan. 2019.

20. Vashingtonskaya gruppa po statistike invalidnosti. Kratkiy oprosnik VG po funktsional’nym sposobnostyam (WG-SS) = Washington Group on Disability Statistics. WG Functional Ability Brief Questionnaire (WG-SS) [Internet]. Available from: https://www.washingtongroup-disability.com/question-sets/wg-short-set-on-functioning-wg-ss/.

21. Obsledovaniye - Slushaya grazhdan Uzbekistana. Vsemirnyy bank = Survey - Listening to the citizens of Uzbekistan. The World Bank [Internet]. Available from: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/uzbekistan/brief/l2cu.

22. Konstitutsiya Respubliki Uzbekistan. Vedomosti palat Oliy Mazhlisa Respubliki Uzbekistan, 2011 g., №12/1 = Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Bulletin of the chambers of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2011, No. 12/1 [Internet]. Available from: https://constitution.uz/en.

23. Zakon Respubliki Uzbekistan «O pravakh lits s invalidnost’yu» № ZRU-641 ot 15.20.2020 goda. = Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” No. ZRU-641 dated 15.20.2020 [Internet]. Available from: https://lex.uz/ru/docs/5049549.

24. Ukaz Prezidenta Respubliki Uzbekistan «O Gosudarstvennoy programme po realizatsii Strategii deystviy po pyati prioritetnym napravleniyam razvitiya Respubliki Uzbekistan v 2017-2021 godakh v «God aktivnykh investitsiy i sotsial’nogo razvitiya» ot 17.01.2019 g. = Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On the State Program for the Implementation of the Action Strategy in five priority areas of development of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021 in the “Year of Active Investments and Social Development” dated January 17, 2019 [Internet]. Available from: https://lex.uz/docs/4168757.

25. Postanovleniye Kabineta Ministrov Respubliki Uzbekistan «O merakh po sovershenstvovaniyu sistemy po podgotovke kadrov organov samoupravleniya grazhdan» №3 ot 08.01.2021g. = Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On measures to improve the system for training personnel of self-government bodies of citizens” No. 3 of 01/08/2021 [Internet]. Available from: https://static.norma.uz/documents/2/mahalla.pdf.

26. Postanovleniye Prezidenta Respubliki Uzbekistan «Ob organizatsionnykh merakh po stimulirovaniyu zanyatosti sotsial’no uyazvimykh sloyev naseleniya» № PP-3782 ot 11.06.2018 g. = Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On organizational measures to stimulate the employment of socially vulnerable segments of the population” No. PP-3782 dated June 11, 2018 [Internet]. Available from: https://lex.uz/docs/3778019.

27. Gosudarstvennyy komitet Respubliki Uzbekistan po statistike, Demografiya. «Gendernaya statistika Uzbekistana, Pokazateli lits s invalidnost’yu, Kolichestvo lits s invalidnost’yu, poluchayushchikh pensii i sotsial’nyye posobiya» = State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Statistics, Demography. “Gender Statistics of Uzbekistan, Indicators of Persons with Disabilities, Number of Persons with Disabilities Receiving Pensions and Social Benefits” [Internet]. Available from: https://gender.stat.uz/en/osnovnye-pokazateli-en/sotsialnaya-zashchita-en/invalidy-en/531-chislennost-zhenshchin-i-muzhchin-invalidov-poluchayushchikh-pensii-i-sotsialnye-posobiya-po-regionam-en.

28. Rauze M., Lapkham K. The journal of social policy studies [Internet]. Zhurnal issledovaniy sotsial’noy politiki, dolgiy put’ navstrechu inklyuzii = Journal of Social Policy Research, a long way towards inclusion. Available from: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/dolgiy-put-navstrechu-inklyuzii.

29. World Health Organization. International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). W.H. A. Res. 54/21. 22.05.2001.

30. General Assembly of the United Nation. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. G. A. Res. 61/106. 24.01.2007.

31. Haveman R., Wolfe B. The Economics of Disability and Disability Policy. Handbook of Health Economics. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 2000: 1.

32. Jenkins S.P., Rigg J.A. Disability and Disadvantage: Selection, Onset, and Duration Effects. Journal of Social Policy. 2004; 33: 3.

33. Sickness, Disability and Work: Breaking the Barriers. A Synthesis of Findings across OECD countries. Paris: OECD; 2010.

34. Eurostat Statistics Explained. Disability statistics [Internet]. 2015. Available from: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Disability_statistics.

35. Social Security Office of Retirement and Disability policy USA. Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program [Internet]. 2014. Available from: https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/di_asr/2014/sect05.html.

36. Eurostat Statistics Explained [Internet]. Available from: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Glossary:Basic_activity_difficulty.

37. Oliver M. The Social Model of Disability: Thirty Years on. Disability & Society. 2013; 28: 7.

38. Haveman R., Wolfe B. The Economics of Disability and Disability Policy. Handbook of Health Economics. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 2000: 1.

39. Special Needs Education Country Data 2012. Odense: European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education. 2012.

40. European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education. 2003.

41. Germany – Financing [Internet]. Available from: https://www.european-agency.org/country-information/germany/national-overview/financing.

42. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. 2015.

43. Doklad OESR za 2009 g. 2009. S. 52 = Report of the OECD for 2009. 2009: 52.

44. Zakon o sotsial’noy zashchite invalidov v Respublike Tadzhikistan= Law on social protection of disabled people in the Republic of Tajikistan. 2010.

45. Gosudarstvennyy komitet Respubliki Uzbekistan po statistike, Demografiya. «Chislennost’ gorodskogo i sel’skogo naseleniya po regionam» = State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Statistics, Demography. “Number of urban and rural population by regions” [Internet]. Available from: https://stat.uz/en/official-statistics/demography.

46. Vsemirnaya organizatsiya zdravookhraneniya i Vsemirnyy bank. Vsemirnyy doklad ob invalidnosti = World Health Organization and World Bank. World Report on Disability [Internet]. 2011. Available from: https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases/sensory-functions-disability-and-rehabilitation/world-report-ondisability.

47. Gosudarstvennyy komitet Respubliki Uzbekistan po statistike. «Gendernaya statistika Uzbekistana» = State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Statistics. “Gender statistics of Uzbekistan” [Internet]. Available from: https://gender.stat.uz/en/osnovnye-pokazateli-en/sotsialnaya-zashchita-en/invalidy-en/531-chislennostzhenshchin-i-muzhchin-invalidov-poluchayushchikh-pensii-i-sotsialnye-posobiya-po-regionam-en.

48. Postanovleniye Kabineta Ministrov Respubliki Uzbekistan «O merakh po podgotovke i provedeniyu perepisi naseleniya Respubliki Uzbekistan v 2023 godu» №710 ot 11 noyabrya 2020 goda = Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On measures to prepare and conduct the population census of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2023” No. 710 dated November 11, 2020 [Internet]. Available from: https://lex.uz/ru/docs/5103146.

49. Sayt Gazeta.uz. V programmu perepisi naseleniya ne vklyuchili voprosy ob invalidnosti= Website Gazeta.uz. Questions about disability were not included in the census program [Internet]. Available from: https://www.gazeta.uz/ru/2020/03/03/disability-questions/.

50. Proyekt Inklyuzivnoye obrazovaniye dlya detey s osobymi obrazovatel’nymi potrebnostyami v Uzbekistane = Project Inclusive Education for Children with Special Educational Needs in Uzbekistan [Internet]. Available from: http://inclusive-education.uz/.

51. Prikaz Ministra narodnogo obrazovaniya RUz «O poryadke perevoda uchashchikhsya s otkloneniyami v fizicheskom ili psikhicheskom razvitii iz odnogo spetsializirovannogo obrazovatel’nogo uchrezhdeniya v drugoye ili v obshcheobrazovatel’noye uchrezhdeniye dlya obucheniya v usloviyakh inklyuzivnogo (integrirovannogo) obrazovaniya» №2685, 17.06.2015 g. = Order of the Minister of Public Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On the procedure for transferring students with disabilities in physical or mental development from one specialized educational institution to another or to a general educational institution for training in an inclusive (integrated) education” No. 2685, 17.06.2015 [Internet]. Available from: https://www.lex.uz/ru/docs/2678700?otherlang.

52. Kontseptsiya razvitiya inklyuzivnogo obrazovaniya v sisteme narodnogo obrazovaniya v 20202025 godakh = The concept of development of inclusive education in the public education system in 2020-2025 [Internet]. Available from: https://nrm.uz/contentf?doc=636677_koncepciya_razvitiya_inklyuzivnogo_obrazovaniya_v_sisteme_narodnogo_obrazovaniya_v_2020-2025_godah_(prilojenie_n_1_k_postanovleniyu_prezidenta_ruz_ot_13_10_2020_g_n_pp-4860)&products=1_vse_zakonodatelstvo_uzbekistana.

53. Zakon Respubliki Uzbekistan «Ob obrazovanii» № ZRU-637 ot 23.09.2020 g. = Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Education” No. ZRU637 dated September 23, 2020 [Internet]. Available from: https://lex.uz/ru/docs/5013009.

54. Kontseptsiya razvitiya sistemy vysshego obrazovaniya Respubliki Uzbekistan do 2030 goda = The concept of development of the higher education system of the Republic of Uzbekistan until 2030 [Internet]. Available from: https://nrm.uz/contentf?doc=602370_&products=1_vse_zakonodatelstvo_uzbekistana.

55. Ukaz Prezidenta Respubliki Uzbekistan «O merakh po kardinal’nomu sovershenstvovaniyu sistemy gosudarstvennoy podderzhki lits s invalidnost’yu» № UP-5270 ot 01.12.2017 g. = Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On measures to radically improve the system of state support for persons with disabilities” No. UP-5270 dated 01.12.2017 [Internet]. Available from: https://lex.uz/docs/3436196.

56. Natsional’noye informatsionnoye agentstvo Uzbekistana = National News Agency of Uzbekistan [Internet]. Available from: http://uza.uz/ru/documents/o-dopolnitelnykh-merakh-po-sovershenstvovaniyu-sistemy-podgo-06-09-2018.

57. Ukaz Prezidenta Respubliki Uzbekistan UP60 ot 29.01.2022 g. O Strategii razvitiya Novogo Uzbekistana na 2022-2026 gody = Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan UP-60 dated January 29, 2022 On the Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan for 2022-2026 [Internet]. Available from: https://lex.uz/ru/docs/5841077.

58. Prezident rasskazal, kakiye vozmozhnosti poluchat invalidy v Uzbekistane. 03.12.2021 = The President spoke about the opportunities that disabled people will receive in Uzbekistan. 03.12.2021 [Internet]. Available from: https://uz.sputniknews.ru/20211203/prezident-rasskazal-kakie-vozmojnosti-poluchat-invalidy-v-uzbekistane-21642670.html.

59. Abdurakhmanov K.K., Khakimov N.K., Makhmutkhodjaeva L.S. Higher education as a significant factor of Uzbekistan’s sustainable development. ESPACIOS. 2019; 40; 9: 15.