Outline of the Project

Name of the project

The Project for Strengthening Teachers' Ability and Reasonable Treatments for Children with Disabilities (START) Phase 2

Subject

Education

Country of the project

Mongolia

Date R/D Signed

April 7, 2020

Project Site

All areas of Mongolia

Term of Cooperation

September 4, 2020 - January 31, 2024

Implementing Organization

Ministry of Education and Culture
Minister of Labor and Social Protection

Background

The Government of Mongolia acceded the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2009, enacted the related laws, and approved "the National Program on Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Increasing Social Participation and Promotion of Development" to guarantee social participation of persons and children with disabilities (hereinafter "CWD"). However, only 40% of CWD are attending schools due to lack of necessary developmental support and acceptance of kindergartens and schools(*1). Those who enrolled often drop out from kindergartens and schools because kindergartens and schools cannot provide appropriate guidance in accordance with disability type, degree, and developmental stage of each child.

To establish the model of assessment, developmental support and education for CWD, Japan International Cooperation Agency (hereinafter "JICA") implemented "the Project for Strengthening Teachers' Ability and Reasonable Treatment for Children with Disabilities (START)" (hereinafter "the previous phase"). It enhanced capacity of Sub Commissions of Health, Education and Social Protection for CWD (hereinafter "Sub Commission")(*2) which certify disabilities and decide provision of support, developed tools to identify disabilities and provide developmental support, introduced 18-months health checkup and "the program for parents and children". As for regular schools, it established "School Committee" for coordination in school, introduced lessons and class management that consider the needs of CWD, developed individualized education plan (hereinafter "IEP") and prepared learning environment and materials.

Those outputs were compiled in "the Handbook for Comprehensive Early Childhood Development for CWD" (hereinafter "the Handbook"). Its guideline (hereinafter "the Guideline") was approved by the Minister of Labor and Social Protection (hereinafter "MLSP"), the Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Sports, and the Minister of Health on November 15, 2018.

Challenges include how to implement developmental support and education services indicated in the Handbook all over Mongolia which has a vast land and a populated capital city, and establish a kindergarten model of developmental support and education services which has not been engaged in the previous phase.

*1 "The National Program on Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Increasing Social Participation and Promotion of Development" (Mongolian Government Order No. 321)

*2 Sub Commission is a non-permanent commission established in nine districts and 21 provinces. The commission is headed by the director of Division of Social Development, and members consist of doctors, educational administrators, teachers, social workers, and welfare administrators.

Overall Goal

All children with disabilities (CWD) receive developmental support and education services(*3) in accordance with each child's needs.

*3 The developmental support and education services for CWD can be defined as "a series of activities specified in the Guideline for Comprehensive Early Childhood Development for CWD and its handbook and can be utilized for CWD, persons concerned and relevant organizations".

Project Purpose

Developmental support and education services for CWD aged 2 to 16 are disseminated throughout Mongolia.

Outputs

1. Developmental support and education services for CWD and their families are provided in all sub commissions based on "Guideline/ Handbook for Comprehensive Early Childhood Development for CWD".
2. Administrative and technical fundamentals are developed to provide developmental support and education services for CWD in all kindergartens.
3. Administrative and technical fundamentals are developed to provide developmental support and education services for CWD in all elementary schools and junior high schools.
4. Teachers in kindergartens, elementary schools and junior high schools complete In-services Teacher Training (online training and/or direct training) regarding developmental support and education serices for CWD.

Project Activities

1-1.	Figure out current situations (organization, activities, utilization of the guideline/handbook, related activity plans, etc.) of all sub commissions.
1-2.	Develop a training plan for officers in charge of education in sub commissions to support utilization of the guideline/handbook
1-3.	Conduct trainings in accordance with activity 1-2.
1-4.	Necessary follow-ups will be provided through monitoring.

2-1.	Conduct a (sample) survey on the current situation of kindergartens
2-2.	Select the pilot kindergartens based on the results of [2-1]
2-3.	Try out developmental support and education services for CWD in pilot kindergartens based on the Guideline/Handbook
2-4.	Revise the Handbook based on the result of activity [2-3]
2-5.	Formulate a training plan for officers in charge of inclusive education in provinces and districts to provide the developmental support and education services for CWD in kindergartens
2-6.	Conduct the trainings based on the training plan formulated in activity [2-5]
2-7.	Support dissemination activities (formulation of dissemination plans/implementation of monitoring) in kindergartens in provinces and districts

3-1.	Conduct a (sample) survey on status of utilization of the Guideline/Handbook in elementary schools and junior high schools and analyze existing activities of related organizations and donors
3-2.	Revise the Handbook based on the result of activity [3-1]
3-3.	Formulate a training plan for officers in charge of inclusive education in provinces and districts to provide the developmental support and education services for CWD in elementary and junior high schools
3-4.	Conduct the trainings based on the training plan formulated in activity [3-3]
3-5.	Support dissemination activities (formulation of dissemination plans/implementation of monitoring) in elementary and junior high schools in provinces and districts

4-1.	Analyze existing curriculum, program and teaching materials on in-service teacher training
4-2.	Formulate the plan on in-service teacher training (online training and/or direct training) regarding the developmental support and education services in kindergartens, elementary schools and junior high schools based on activity [4-1]
4-3.	Revise the teaching materials of in-service teacher training
4-4.	Conduct the in-service teacher training

Inputs
[Japanese side]

1. Dispatch of Experts
   • Inclusive Education Policy
   • Inclusive Education (Early Childhood Development)
   • Inclusive Education (primary and secondary)
   • Teacher Training/ICT
2. Provision of equipment for project office
3. Cost of venues for trainings of counterpart personnel
4. Cost for monitoring in UB city
5. Cost for printing and distributing sample materials developed in the Project

Inputs
[Mongolia side]

1. Assignment of counterpart personnel
   • Project Director
   • Vice Project Director
   • Staff of MEC and Department of Education and Culture in 21 province and Education Division in 9 Districts
   • Staff of Institute of Teacher’s Professional Development and Special Needs Education Support Center for of Mongolian Institute of Educational Research
2. Office with the necessary equipment including water and electric facilities
3. Travel cost and allowance for counterpart personnel
4. Cost of training for counterpart personnel, school managers and teachers
5. Cost for printing and distributing authorized materials developed in the Project
6. Cost for monitoring in provinces