YEREVAN, DECEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. 200 inclusive schools operate in Armenia with 5 thousand students, Narine Hovhannisyan, head of the public education department of the ministry of education and science told a press conference in ARMENPRESS.

“The organization of education for children is very important, and in this context we find the expansion of the inclusive education program a priority. Changes have already been made in a corresponding law, which was aimed at expanding the inclusive education program. In 2016, we were able to achieve a universal inclusion in Syunik province, there are no more special schools there. Medical-Pedagogical centers also operate, which work with schools”, Hovhannisyan said.

In 2017, universal inclusion will be organized in Lori province. According to her, all schools of Armenia should be inclusive until 2021.

“Today we can say, that the stereotype – according to which parents revolted against children with disabilities – is broken. Currently that problem isn’t present in any inclusive school, all schools are open for children with all kinds of special needs”, Hovhannisyan said.

Speaking about the accessibility of schools for disabled people, Hovhannisyan said schools which are being renovated, are renovated in accordance to corresponding standards. Schools which lack financial resources create relevant conditions for children. Hovhannisyan says the conditions of the facilities are important, but the moral atmosphere is even more important.