Planting the seeds for inclusive education: one resource centre at a time

ABSTRACT

A Non-Government Organisation (NGO) in Kazakhstan introduced a pilot project to support schools through school-based resource centres for inclusive education as requested by the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES). This initiative came about as a way to support the State Program for the Development of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2016-2019 (MoES) that set the goal of having 70% of mainstream schools inclusive by the end of 2018. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how school-based resource centres are assisting in the development of creating conditions for inclusive education in mainstream schools of Nur-Sultan City. Data was collected using 22 one-to-one interviews with resource centre staff, teachers, parents of SEN students, school specialists and principals thus giving voice to all stakeholders. The main findings of the study were the positive impacts of resource centres in contributing to the continued development of inclusive education in Kazakhstan. Other findings revealed areas for further improvement in order to sustain and grow this initiative. These findings have implications for further detailing policy outlining a focused and practical plan for the continued development and reform of inclusive education beyond the capital city.

KEYWORDS:

• Kazakhstan
• education reform
• inclusive education
• school-based resource centre

Acknowledgements

The research team would like to express their gratitude to the school personnel and families who participated in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded with the assistance of DARA Foundation and Samruk Kazyna Trust.

Notes on contributors

Janet Helmer

Dr Janet Helmer is an Associate Professor in the Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education. She holds a Doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota in Educational Leadership, Policy and Administration and has held research positions at Charles Darwin University in Australia. She currently teaches graduate courses in research methodology and psychology of learning. Much of her research has looked at educational equity and wellbeing for marginalised groups living in geographically isolated areas with a current emphasis on the advancement of inclusive education in Kazakhstan.

Rita Kasa

Dr Rita Kasa is an Assistant Professor at Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education, Kazakhstan. She holds a PhD in Comparative Education from the State University of New York in Buffalo, USA, and a Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Latvia. Her research concerns educational policy, finance, and governance with respect to achieving the goals of equity in education. Dr Kasa’s research record includes academic and applied studies of education policy, utilizing case study research strategy, and involving qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

Michelle Somerton

Dr Michelle Somerton is Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Education and Academic Program Director of the degree Masters in Leadership Inclusive Education. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Graduate Certificate in Research, and a Bachelor of Education with Honours from the University of Tasmania. Her research interests are investigating educational inequity and barriers to education including those faced by children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Tsediso Michael Makoelle

Dr Tsediso Michael Makoelle is one of the recipients of the prestigious Nelson Mandela scholarship to the United Kingdom (UK). He holds the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Inclusive Education from the University of Manchester, UK and a Doctor of Education (D.Ed) in Education Management and Leadership from University of South Africa (UNISA). He has been working at Nazarbayev University for nearly five years in the capacities of associate professor, and then Director of Doctoral Studies, General Director for Research and most recently as the Vice Dean for Research in the Graduate School of Education.

Daniel Hernández-Torrano

Dr Daniel Hernández-Torrano is an Associate Professor at Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education. Dr. Hernández-Torrano obtained his PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Murcia in Spain, and has held research positions at the University College London (UK), Universidade do Minho (Portugal), and University of Connecticut (USA). He teaches graduate courses in quantitative research methodology, psychology of learning, and inclusive education. His main areas of interest are gifted education, inclusive education, the intersection, between excellence and equity in education, and young people’s wellbeing.