Project News

As previously introduced in the Project News on August 3, 2016 (https://www.jica.go.jp/project/english/mongolia/013/news/general/160803.html), the Project has been supporting the setting up of a branch class of a Special School at School No. 26 in Khan-uul District, Ulaanbaatar. It took a while to solve some problems including budget and teacher deployment, but a class for students with special needs has finally opened at the School No. 26. as a branch class of Special School No. 63 which is located in the same district.

15 students are attending the class (as of March 1, 2018) with one full-time teacher and a part-time teacher who goes to the class three times per week. Though many of the students are registered at the Special School No. 63, they could not attend the school because they did not have means of transportation to go to the school which is 23 kilometres from their homes. Now they can go to the school nearby, and the students as well as their parents are delighted.

Another branch class of the Special School No. 63 has also been set up at School No. 130 in the same district. At the School, Down Syndrome Association Mongolia set up a pilot class with support from the Project as a Mini Project (first batch), and continued to manage the class even after the end of the Mini Project (June 2017). In February 2018, the class has been officially registered as a branch class of the Special School No. 63.

There are 11 students at the branch class (as of March 1, 2018) with two teachers. The students learn together with other students who are around their age in other classes for subjects such as arts and crafts, music, and PE while learning in the branch class for mathematics, Mongolian language, and daily living skills. Since the class has been officially registered, teacher salary is now provided by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sciences and Sports, which was borne by the parents before. Furthermore, the branch class teachers can now attend the in-service teacher training after the official registration.

Students of two branches are studying under the curriculum of Special School No. 63 and can acquire a certificate of formal education.

The Project, in collaboration with the School No. 26 and 130, continues to support the branch classes in teacher training and promotion of reasonable accommodation for quality learning by students with special needs.

Branch class at School No. 26. After morning greetings, a class starts with finger play songs.

Branch class at School No. 130. Students are learning mathematics with learning-friendly teaching materials.