Ensuring adequate conditions for organizing and conducting baccalaureate exams for pupils with special educational needs was the topic of working meeting which took place on 30 April in People’s Advocate Office. The need to address the matter arose as a result of complaints to Ombudsman Institution in previous years.
In 2014, the institution intervened in case of a young girl with special needs from Glodeni, who has been denied the request for sustaining the baccalaureate exams at home, while not being created the necessary conditions in order to sustain exams in the baccalaureate centre. After the Ombudsman intervention, for mentioned pupil have been made adequate arrangements at the examination center and she passed successfully the baccalaureate exams. If this case had a happy ending, then the baccalaureate candidate in ATUG was unsuccessful in sustaining bac exams.
In order to avoid in future of some situations that pupils with disabilities and special educational needs may be discriminated in the context of organization and conduct of baccalaureate exams, the Office of People’s Advocate organized an meeting on this topic.
During the meeting were exchanged views regarding the Instruction on specific procedures for examination of pupils with special educational needs approved by the Ministry of Education on March 20 2015, and the methodology of organizing and conducting the baccalaureate exam, in school year 2014-2015 from 31 October 2014.
Were discussed issues related to special examination conditions specified in the Instructions:
- Access of students with mobility impairments to baccalaureate centers and examination rooms;
- The selection conditions for individual assistants and their training;
- The procedure for contesting the decision of the National Commission for Examination by which is refused assurance of special examination conditions on sustaining of exam topics etc.
During the discussions it was noted that parents of young people with disabilities often refuse to cooperate with the educational institution or pedagogical support services and that they should be informed about the procedures needed to sustain baccalaureate exams by children with special educational needs.
According to the representative of the Ministry of Education, the baccalaureate centers selected this year are adapted to the needs of candidates with CES. It was also announced that the Ministry of Education has instructed individual assistants that will be involved in the examination process at baccalaureate exams in 2015.
In this context, the representatives of civil society have warned that bac assistants should early of time know their candidates with special educational needs in order to provide the necessary support on examination. They talked about the difficulties faced by young people with hearing disabilities in perceiving written exams, reason for which they need sign language interpreter.
The meeting was attended representatives of the Ministry of Education, Republican Center for Pedagogical Assistance, Ministry of Health, Council for Prevention and Elimination of Discrimination and Assurance of Equality, Education Departments of ATU Gagauzia, Nisporeni, Hincesti, Cahul, Organization "Keystone Human Services International Moldova " Association of Deaf Children from Moldova.
