“We’ve made significant strides in providing individual and thoughtful education for children with disabilities, but once they enter the school system, we often lack the detailed guidance on effective teaching methods and engaging activities for their parents,” says Nigora Kholikova, a primary school teacher from Namangan School No. 10.
Kholikova is one of 10,000 teachers across Uzbekistan who participated in a training workshop spearheaded by the USAID All Children Succeeding activity aimed at equipping educators with the skills to create inclusive classrooms for all students.
In Uzbekistan, children with disabilities often face significant barriers to accessing quality education, with many schools lacking the resources and trained personnel to support them. To address this issue, the USAID All Children Succeeding activity launched a comprehensive training program to equip 10,000 primary-grade teachers in Syrdaryo and Namangan regions with the skills to build inclusive classroom practices.
“The training sessions have been instrumental in bridging this gap, offering international insights that enhance my ability to support every child in my school, helping them achieve their full potential and realize their dreams. I am committed to helping these students find their place in society, which is why I believe it is crucial for these trainings to continue,” adds Kholikova.
The training process ran from Aug. 13 to 15, 2024, with the preparation of 88 Master Trainers selected among some of Uzbekistan’s most experienced educators. These Master Trainers then trained 936 school-based trainers from Aug. 20 to 22, who then cascaded the training to their entire school communities by Aug. 29 — eventually 10,000 educators in Syrdaryo and Namangan regions.
These workshops introduced concepts of disability and inclusive education and provided concrete tools and skills to welcome children with disabilities into general education classrooms. With follow-up training scheduled for January 2025, the workshop ensured that teachers were prepared to provide quality education to all students as school began in September.
Jamie Bowen, Senior Technical Advisor at Creative, elaborated on how teachers can integrate principles of inclusive education.
“Inclusive education is simply quality education for all students,” Bowen says. “By equipping educators with skills to reach diverse learners, inclusive education brings together children with and without disabilities in one classroom, accessing the same content, learning environment, and social benefits of mainstream schooling. For this training, we focused on increasing teachers’ understanding of disability and inclusion. We built on what they are already doing well, illustrating that inclusive education does not have to be overwhelming, but just brings out their best skills and strategies.”
Teachers who participated in the training sessions expressed their enthusiasm and commitment to implementing inclusive practices in their classrooms.
Khurshida Valieva, a primary school teacher from Uchkurgan district, Namangan region, shared her experience: “Inclusive education aims to integrate students with special educational needs alongside their peers without disabilities. The training was delivered in a clear and accessible manner, enhancing our understanding of inclusive education through a cascade approach. We acquired valuable new knowledge and methods and had the opportunity to exchange experiences with seasoned teachers.”
Recognizing the pivotal role of school leaders in managing change, USAID’s All Children Succeeding also conducted one-day workshops for school leaders in Namangan and Syrdaryo from Aug. 1 to 3 and Aug. 6 to 10, respectively. These sessions aimed to help school leaders understand how inclusive education benefits the whole school community and to manage the transition effectively.
Building local expertise
The All Children Succeeding activity emphasizes the importance of local expertise. All training materials are developed in collaboration with local experts and field-tested in schools. Six schools have been selected to work with special and mainstream kindergartens, Inson Centers and local communities, creating a robust platform for testing new materials.
Kate Lapham, Chief of Party of All Children Succeeding, highlighted the importance of local involvement. “Our program is not responding to demand from USAID, but to demand from the government of Uzbekistan,” she says. “In recent years, the state has been paying great attention to inclusiveness in society, and this naturally translates into the education system.”
Umida Ermatova, a teacher from School No. 6, Sardoba District, Syrdaryo region, highlighted the broader societal impact of these inclusivity trainings. “Social rights are a cornerstone of the legal strategy for new Uzbekistan, with inclusive education now enshrined in the constitution. This training addresses how to shift cultural attitudes and communication practices, positively influencing how students with disabilities are perceived.”
All Children Succeeding, a five-year initiative supported by USAID, collaborates with the National Agency for Social Protection, the Ministry of Preschool and School Education and the Ministry for Higher Education, Science and Innovation to develop sustainable policies and practices for inclusive education.
Challenges and progress
Despite the progress, challenges remain. According to a 2023 World Bank analysis, public spaces in Uzbekistan are not sufficiently accessible to people with disabilities. The number of children with disabilities under the age of 18 in Uzbekistan in 2023 was about 142,300, and accessibility rates in schools remain low.
In 2019, 30 to 50 percent of people with disabilities in Uzbekistan rated access to and use of schools, hospitals, shops, workplaces and other public spaces as difficult or relatively difficult.
However, USAID’s All Children Succeeding is making strides. As of the end of the 2023-2024 academic year, 530 general education schools in Uzbekistan have adopted an inclusive approach, with plans to increase this number significantly by 2025.
“Inclusive education is about creating an atmosphere, environment, and conditions in which everyone feels comfortable and effective learning is ensured,” Lapham says. “Uzbekistan is moving towards this.”
As Uzbekistan continues to embrace inclusive education, the efforts of the USAID All Children Succeeding Activity and its partners are paving the way for a more equitable and inclusive future for all children.
