On October 15, representatives of the Human Rights Defender’s Office carried out an unannounced monitoring visit to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports' “Kapan No. 3 Special Educational Complex” SNCO (hereinafter Complex). During the visit, they observed the class process, held private interviews with the school staff, and examined the School's property, building conditions, sanitary and communal facilities, child care, medical services, food provision, the employees’ and children’s rights and fundamental freedoms as well as relevant documentation for compliance with established standards and applicable requirements. A number of problems were registered, some of which are systemic and common in many other child care and protection institutions. In particular, the following issues were registered:
• The physical environment of the Complex does not meet universal design principles.
• At the time of the visit, reasonable accommodation for children studying at the Educational Complex was not provided. The director noted that steps are currently being implemneted to address this.
• There is a shortage of multidisciplinary specialists, such as occupational therapists and sign language interpreters. From this perspective, the lack of both staff and specialized specialists in the region is problematic.
• The current process for assessing children's needs does not practically guarantee that they are real and individualized.
• Staff members face non-professional workloads due to limited resources.
• There is an inconsistency between staff members' professional duties and their actual functions.
• No clear mechanisms are in place for detecting, preventing, and responding to cases of violence, including bullying.
• It has been registered that children from distant areas often pass the night at the Educational Complex due to the lack of transportation.
• There is a need for ongoing professional training for staff according to their specific job responsibilities. At the end of the visit, the registered issues were discussed by the representatives of the Human Rights Defender’s Office with the institution’s director and staff. The director provided information on measures taken to resolve the problems, including amendments to the Complex’s charter. The results of the unannounced monitoring visit, together with the systemic issues repeatedly highlighted by the Defender, will be summarized, and a document reflecting these problems, along with recommendations for their resolution, will be presented to the relevant authorities. The Human Rights Defender emphasizes that the state is obligated under the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to ensure every child's right to education without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunities, recognizing universal inclusive education as a guarantee of this right. Educational programs must be adapted to meet each learner’s needs and provide an adequate educational response, ensuring inclusive education as a core component of this right.
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