On December 21, 2023 the representatives of the Human
Rights Defender conducted an unannounced monitoring visit to "Yerevan
Special Music School No. 13" (SNCO) of the Ministry of Education, Science,
Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia (hereinafter referred to as
School).
According to the decree of the Government of the Republic
of Armenia N 2179-N of December 26, 2002, and in accordance with the School
Charter, the object and purpose of the activity of the institution is the
implementation of activities of educational nature, ensuring the mandatory
minimum assimilation of the content of general education and special general
education, including music programs, by children who need special educational
conditions, as well as the provision of care and protection of children who
need special educational conditions.
During the unannounced visit, the teaching and
educational processes were observed, also the School's space, communal
sanitation facilities, child care, medical care, catering, employees,
children's rights and fundamental freedoms and their compliance with the
established requirements and applicable standards were examined.
HRD representatives recorded a number of issues, some of
which are systemic and require urgent solutions.
In particular, it was recorded:
• The buildings attached to the School are in a bad
condition, the bathrooms are old, some are damaged, most of the furniture is
worn out, and some beds are also broken. Some classroom windows are barred.
• Building conditions are not adapted for people with
disabilities. There are no ramps, handrails, special tactile and signal
markings, etc.
• There are serious problems related to ensuring
sanitary-hygienic conditions in the school: it is not provided with shower
cubicles, hot water, meanwhile, most of the children spend 4 nights in the week
at the School.
• The necessary living area required for personal space
is not preserved: the rooms are equipped with beds that are connected or placed
very close to each other. Sideboards are mostly absent in the bedrooms.
Moreover, after the classes, the children do not have the opportunity to rest
in their bedrooms until late in the evening and have to wait in different parts
of the School until it is time to move to their bedrooms.
• The ability to satisfy the personal demands and needs
of children in private conditions, including personal hygiene, is not ensured.
For example, most bathroom doors do not close from the inside.
• The needs and conditions necessary for the development
corresponding to the characteristics of children's age
groups are not provided. In addition, according to the information presented to
the Defender's representatives, the area of the playground belonging to the
School was expropriated.
• Apparent violations of sanitary norms were recorded in
the canteen and kitchen: the premises and the clothes of the personnel of the
kitchen were dirty, sanitary (medical) booklets were missing.
• The school is not equipped with the conditions and
possibility of organizing additional meals for children.
• There are problems related to the provision of medical
care and services: there was no medical worker for the round-the-clock shift.
According to the information presented to the representatives of the Defender,
the duties of a medical worker at night are actually performed by one of the
employees of the School, who also has the relevant specialization, but is not
registered as a mspaceedical worker.
• There is a lack of employees.
• Due to the lack of types of musical instruments
available in the school in relation to the number of children, some of them
sometimes do not have the opportunity to choose the instrument of their
preference.
• There is an apparent inconsistency between the goals
defined by the School's charter and the actual activities of the School, etc.
The Defender's representatives discussed the recorded
problems with the director of the School. The latter presented to the
representatives of the Defender the measures taken to solve the problems,
including the works being carried out in the direction of changing the School's
charter.
The results of the unannounced monitoring visit,
including the systemic problems repeatedly raised by the Defender, will be
summarized, and will be submitted to the relevant authorities in the near
future.
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