On July 21, 2022, a workshop with the subject – Learning for Equality: Workshop on the present and future of Inclusive civic education in Azerbaijan. 

The objectives of the workshop were: 

– To identify and address successes and challenges in a post pandemic context for inclusive citizenship education;

– To share practices and support exchange and cooperation between different stakeholders from formal and non-formal education fields concerned with ICE;

– To enhance the recognition of the role of youth civil society and further develop cross sectoral cooperation for inclusive civic education.

The workshop was held  in hybrid format simultaneously – offline and via zoom. 

Offline event took place in the regional branch of the State Pedagogical University, in Guba city which is located 168 km from Baku, in the north-eastern region of Azerbaijan. Participants from Baku and other regions connected to the workshop via Zoom.

Totally 122 people participated in the workshop: 28 ofline and 94 online. Opennig speechs for the  workshop were delivered by Svetlana Alenitskaya, on behalf of bpb, Yuriy Petrushenko on behalf of EENCE. The speakers for the workhsop were: 

– Dr. Israyil isgandarov, from Supervisory Board of the Agency for State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations;   

–  Rasul Asgarov, Senior advisor of Azerbaijan State Educational Institute;

– Khalida Hamidova, head of training department within Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University, Gulshan Eminova, Association of Educators; 

– Sevinj Mahsimova Coordinator of Inclusive Education Center Azerbaijan State University of Economics;

– Dr. Khalida Hamidov -head of Training department of Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University; – Ramil İskandarli, Legal Analysis and Research PU; 

– Telman Yolchiyev, Union of Disabled Organizations; 

– Yusif Aliyev, director of the regional branch of the State Pedagogical University in Guba assistant professor;

– Parvana Rzayeva, head of the Quality Maintenance Department. 

The experts revealed that valuing people with special needs in the inclusive environment no doubt implies relevant adaptation of the formal and non-formal curriculas. They addressed that students with special needs may require more instruction time or other teaching methods and professional knowledge.

In that case, civic education teachers fear the need for more time, more responsibility, materials and knowledge. There are some problems like lack of understanding of the inclusion philosophy by the educators including poor teaching and learning approaches, fear of responsibility and stress from added responsibility etc. It is stated that there are limitations of professionals’ identification, material and resource support and responsibility and encouragement to promote inclusive civic education.

As it is stated that most of the educators are fear of responsibility, they are not free from traditional approaches, practicality, and individualized educational supports are not exercised. Educators are not equipped to match the inclusive learners with their diversity needs, and learners suffer with problems of inadequate support.

Regarding the curriculum, despite the fact that fprmal education institutions use new curricula, non-formal education experts stated that curriculum modifications are not diversity based, and there is a lack of  trend of curriculum modification in terms of inclusive citizenship education and therefore the educational fairness for inclusive learners is inevitable. İt is obviuous that, there are gaps in citizenship education of the people with special needs and quality of education by itself in inclusive settings.

Most of the education experts reported some challenges for the implementation of inclusive citizenhsip education that there are lack proper and adequate facilities and infrastructure in the regions. Furthermore, material and professional limitations, lack of budget on regional levels, still negative attitude of some part of society due to prejudices, limited utilization of professionals, identifying and assessment problems of people in different categories, material and moral support limitation for professionals, lack of responsible staff in the regions, lack of social responsibility and fundraising to expand inclusive citizenhsip education and lack of community awareness problem are some of the common challenges.

It is mentioned that the women, young adults and people with disabilities actively participate in different formal and non-formal citizenship education programs but lack of skilled professionals is the current challenges in citizenship education. Concerning enrollment to the inclusive citizenship programs, all of the education experts stated that the current enrollment status is encouraging. Majority of the population started to understand importance of citizenship education, and therefore attend the civic education programs. In this regard, especially enrollment of the people with special needs improving from previous times. 

It is stated that both formal and non-formal citizenship programs have a great role in the implementation of inclusive citizneship education changing attitudes of the community as well as society at large.

For example, speaker Gulshan Eminova presented the project “Improving the skills of teachers in the field of inclusive education”, which implemented in 2018 -2020. İt is stated that improved teaching opportunities and pedagogical resources of teachers in the field of inclusive education in Baku, as well as in Guba, Sheki, Jalilabad, Agjabadi and Shamakhi districts. Within the framework of the project improved the curriculum and materials for inclusive education, increased the skills of teachers and support staff, created resources, improved the policy on inclusive education and organized public awareness events.

 In the higher formal education sector, the universities such as ASPU and UNEC, with strong administrative support and commitment are able to effectively serve more students with exceptional needs. Both of the universities have inclusive education departments.

The management of these universities have a clear sense of direction for their instituions, in collaboration with their staff, discuss and draw up plans. Leadership and professional skills are requisite factors in the development of instituional capacity, and the role of the managemntis seen as critical to the delivery of an inclusive citizenhsip educational program. The univercities are committed to the success of all students and collaborate with NGOs to achieve education for all. It is also stated that non-formal citizensip educators have a big role in implementation of inclusive citizenship education.

As to opportunities to implement inclusive citizenship education, most experts forwarded that there are fertile international and national conventions, constitutional, education and training policy background for the implementation of inclusive education. Societal, community attitudes are changing towards the inclusive citizenship programs from time to time.

Inclusive civic education professionals have been training in different formal and non-formal instituions. In general, there is an optimistic environment for the implementation of inclusive citizneship education.It is also stated that that that achieving this complex task requires inclusive thinking and action at all levels; adequate and planned funding; proactive leadership especially within formal instituions; responsive support infrastructure; ongoing professional development and time for joint planning; developing collaborative relationships between formal and non-formal sectos; and effective interventions by international donor agencies.

Societal responses to diversity need to be miscellaneous and both formal and non-formal educators can play a critical role in enabling inclusive studens, especially with special needs to become meaningful participants within society. To the end of the workshop some experts and organization expressed their intention to join EENCE network.

The workshop has been funded by the Federal Agency for Civic Education using funds appropriated by the Federal Foreign Office, Expanding Cooperation with Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Countries and Russia (Eastern Partnership Programme).