Reforms underway to have children living in families
23 special schools operate in Armenia. By the year 2022 one special school in each marz and 4 in Yerevan are suggested to reorganize into psycho-pedagogical support centers, senior specialist at Public Education Department of Armenian Ministry of Education and Science Anahit Muradyan told reporters.
According to the speaker, the ultimate goal is not to close the special schools, as the latters will be gradually reorganized.
“If in 2002 ten thousands students attended special schools, today the number is 2200, and only 100 out of them stay overnight. Apart from them, UNICEF study suggest, that in Armenia 70 percent of children with disabilities attend public schools. That is to say our aim is to ensure accessible and quality education to each child which appears to be more difficult challenge,” Anahit Muradyan stressed.
Lena Hayrapetyan, head of Children Affairs department at Ministry of Labour said on her part that the number of children living in residential care institutions of Armenia have decreased over the recent years
She reminded that the Armenian government approved in May the criteria and the rules for providing alternative child care services in Armenia. According to the new rule, the process of placing children in special and night care centers is restricted. The priority is given to new forms of family – adoption, caregiving and only in case of lack of those possibilities placing a child in a care center is permitted.
Hayrapetyan next informed that number of legal acts is being drafted aimed at caring for children in families.
To Lena Hayrapetyan, 5 state orphanages operate in Armenia under the auspices of the Ministry of Labour, while the number was 8 several years ago. Furthermore, two orphanages out of the four sponsored by international organizations were closed.
“The ultimate goal of the reforms to have children living in families,’ she concluded.
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