Education is a key national priority in Moldova, aiming to promote democratic values, human rights, and human capital development. Nonetheless, marginalised groups, such as poor children in rural areas, children with deviant behaviour, children without parental care, children with sensory disabilities, Roma children, and refugees face barriers in accessing quality education. Especially children with special educational needs (SEN) encounter difficulties in mainstream education. 

The project will build on the efforts made during the previous project phase, implemented between April 2022 – December 2023. Over the next course, the project will prioritise work to ensure access to quality education for all children. To achieve this goal, Alliance of Active NGOs in the field of Child and Family Social Protection (APSCF) will focus on strengthening a prepared and strong civil society capable of meaningfully contributing to the formulation of inclusive and gender-responsive policies, in addition to their effective implementation and monitoring, to comply and align to the EU policies in the context of EU accession. 

The project will be part of a larger set of interconnected efforts aimed at enhancing inclusive education in Moldova. The efforts include actions taken by alliance members, such as applying the inclusive education index at the local level, supporting the educational inclusion of children with severe disabilities and hearing impairments. The project led by APSCF involves an approach of strengthening the active participation of civil society organisations in policy development, implementation, and monitoring at both national and local levels.  

Key activities will include: 

• Developing a capacity building programme for project stakeholders on policy development, implementation, and monitoring processes. 

• Stakeholders will be enabled to identify policy issues, conduct research and analysis, be involved in decision making processes, and develop action plans. 

• Develop a capacity building programme for the project stakeholders on advocacy work and effective communication. 

• Conduct mentorship programmes for at least 6 grassroot CSOs from the North, Centre, and South of the country. Mentorship will be provided by the more experienced in-country CSOs. 

• Organise a National Annual Conference on Inclusive Education Developments that will bring together representatives of central and local authorities and CSOs working in the education sector. 

• Strengthening internal organisational management that will lead to the increased credibility and influence of APSCF. 

• Generate evidence-based insights and recommendations on education policy improvement and conduct a study on the impact of existing policies, identifying gaps or areas for improvement, and developing evidence-based policies. 

The increased awareness, capacity, and representation of CSOs are expected to contribute to their meaningful participation in policy development processes and improved advocacy skills. This will result in the integration of CSO inputs in policy documents, improved coordination between CSOs and the government, and the establishment of monitoring mechanisms. Ultimately, these outcomes will lead to an inclusive and gender-responsive education system, characterised by improved access, quality, and accountability. 

A previous phase of the project was implemented between April 2022 – December 2023. The current project is part of the EOL extension phase of 2024-2026. Read more about the previous phase of the project here.