START project’s final seminar in Ulaanbaatar

On May 14, 2024, the Project held the final seminar titled “Inclusive education: lessons learned and challenges ahead.” The seminar aimed to review the policies, efforts, and achievements of inclusive education in Mongolia over the past 10 years, and to further promote continuum efforts for inclusive education by Mongolian actors. Related ministries and donor agencies gathered in the morning session, then practitioners including teachers of kindergartens and schools participated in the afternoon session. Around 200 participants gathered at the Tuushin Hotel, and approximately 3,000 people across the country watched online on Facebook LIVE video of the seminar.

The morning session was opened by Mr. Kh. Batjargal, State Secretary, the Ministry of Education and Science (MES), Mongolia, Mr. Masaru Igawahara, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan in Mongolia, and Mr. Shinichi Tanaka, Chief Representative, JICA Mongolia Office. Then MES, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, and the Ministry of Health presented their efforts to promote inclusive education and support for children with disabilities over the last decade. Also, IE officers from provincial Education Department as well as monitored kindergartens and schools that were crucial actors in Project shared their good practices. In the panel discussion, IE officers from the provincial Education Department, kindergarten directors, school directors, parents of children with disabilities and persons with disabilities together discussed efforts and lessons learned, and future challenges to achieve inclusive education in Mongolia.

In the afternoon session, MES introduced the draft manual for the promotion of inclusive education that had being developed together with the Project. At the end of the session, commemorative gifts were presented to the Project's monitored kindergartens and schools, and lecturers were appointed who are expected to be a focal point to promote inclusive education in their regions.

Many participants showed their interests in the Project deliverables and educational materials created by the monitored kindergartens and schools, which were displayed outside the seminar room.

The Project will soon come to an end. We sincerely hope that inclusive education will continue to be promoted in Mongolia even after the project ends.