Development of inclusion - Czech Republic

The first alternative for providing special needs education is to include pupils with SEN in mainstream classes and, when necessary, provide special needs education in small teaching groups.
Pupils with special needs are provided with a broad range of support provisions to facilitate inclusion.
The class teacher is responsible for the learning process of all pupils in a class. Mainstream teachers are supported by guidance and counselling services from the resource centres. Special teachers from these counselling centres provide direct support to pupils in mainstream settings if necessary.

The general objective of education of children with special needs both in mainstream and segregated provisions is to give them equal opportunities to successful and efficient education in accordance with their needs and abilities. The main principle is the focus on each pupil’s strengths and her/his individual learning and development needs.
Education has to promote pupils’ initiative and self-confidence and promote life long learning.

The systematic integration policy in the Czech Republic started after 1989. During this period the development of integration has changed towards broader social acceptance of inclusion of persons with disabilities, mainstreaming, and better educational and technological support for pupils with special needs in mainstream settings.

The main principle of education for pupils with special needs is to provide them with quality education, with equal opportunities to eliminate the disadvantage in accessing an appropriate level and quality of education. Social inclusion and social participation of a person with special needs is the main aim.

Inclusion of pupils into mainstream schools at all levels of education is in the centre of interest of the Ministry of Education in Czech Republic. Additional provisions tailored with regard to the pupil’s needs support the success of the school performance of each pupil with special needs. 

Although the situation of inclusive education has been improving, there still are some difficult areas to be dealt with. The problems are partly caused by the limited resources available for a support teacher in a mainstream class, partly by the architectural barriers/accessablility of school buildings. Traditional thinking patterns of teachers (and parents) and their resistance to change also plays a role.

All strategic documents on national level deal with these issues and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports gives grants to schools to improve conditions for pupils with special needs and for supporting their inclusion.