Development process launched for Chișinău Municipality’s First Inclusive Education Action Plan

More than 40 education managers and specialists from the municipal education system gathered, today, to launch the development process for the municipality’s first Inclusive Education Action Plan.

The event brought together representatives of the General Directorate for Education, Youth and Sport, general and preschool education institutions, psycho-pedagogical assistance services, partner organizations, and civil society, all of whom will contribute to the development and implementation of this process at the municipal level.

During the meeting, participants were introduced to the project’s objectives, implementation phases, and the roles and responsibilities of each institution involved. Discussions focused on the project’s expected outcomes, including the development of Chișinău Municipality’s first Inclusive Education Action Plan, strengthening the capacities of education professionals, implementing social and behaviour change activities, and establishing collaborative mechanisms with student councils and the Project Coordination Council.

Participants also had the opportunity to discuss the challenges they face in their professional practice, share examples of successful approaches implemented in their institutions, and contribute to defining the priorities for the next stages of the initiative.

Opening the event, Valentin Crudu, Deputy Head of the General Directorate for Education, Youth and Sport, emphasized the importance of the partnership between the municipal authorities and UNICEF in advancing inclusive education in Chișinău Municipality:

“The development of the first Municipal Inclusive Education Action Plan marks an important step towards building an education system in which every child has genuine opportunities to participate and learn. We highly appreciate the expertise and support provided by UNICEF Moldova in promoting inclusive education and thank them for a partnership that will help strengthen the capacities of both the municipal administrative structures and educational institutions in Chișinău, in line with national and international quality standards.”

Galina Bulat, Education Specialist at UNICEF Moldova, highlighted the importance of engaging all actors within the education system to achieve the project’s objectives:

“For UNICEF, this initiative represents an essential step towards achieving meaningful and sustainable social change, which can only be accomplished through the collective commitment of all stakeholders within Chișinău’s education system, together with the dedicated contribution of every decision-maker and practitioner at their respective levels of responsibility. This is a shared responsibility that requires leadership, accountability, and action. Through sustained efforts, we can drive significant and lasting improvements in educational practices and positively influence the attitudes of those shaping learning experiences in schools and kindergartens across the municipality. Together, we can ensure that every child has access to inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education.”

Over the next 13 months, the project will support the development of Chișinău Municipality’s first Inclusive Education Action Plan, establish a network of 70 municipal facilitators, strengthen the capacities of more than 2,500 education professionals, and develop a municipal Social and Behaviour Change framework to promote inclusion both in schools and across communities.

The UNICEF project “Strengthening Inclusive Education in Chișinău Municipality” is implemented by Partnerships for Every Child and CCF Moldova, in partnership with the General Directorate for Education, Youth and Sport of Chișinău Municipality, with financial support from the Government of the United States, the Government of Germany through KfW Development Bank, the Government of the United Kingdom, and the Government of Austria.