Definition of the target group(s)

In the Republic of Moldova, the legislative and policy framework recognises several categories of children as being in need of special educational support. 

According to the Education Code of the Republic of Moldova and the Programme for the development of inclusive education in the Republic of Moldova for the years 2024 - 2027, approved by Government Decision No. 145 of 28 February 2024, children with special educational needs (SEN) are defined as those who, due to physical, sensory, intellectual, psycho-social, or behavioural impairments, as well as due to learning difficulties or other contextual factors, require adapted educational support and/or individualised educational services.

The special educational needs beneficiaries are all children, regardless of the family's financial situation, residential environment, ethnicity, spoken language, gender, age, political or religious affiliation, health status, learning characteristics, criminal record, including:

• orphaned, abandoned children, deprived of parental care;
• children from disadvantaged families;
• institutionalised children;
• children, youth and adults with disabilities;
• street children;
• children and youth in conflict with the law;
• trafficked children and youth;
• children and youth subjected to violence;
• children and youth who use drugs, alcohol, other toxic substances;
• children affected by HIV/AIDS,
• children with chronic somatic diseases;
• children and youth with mental disorders, behavioural or emotional deviations, other pathological conditions;
• children with learning and communication difficulties;
• gifted children and youth;
• children and youth, victims of labour exploitation;
• children of national minorities, religious or linguistic groups;
• children of refugees or children of internally displaced persons.

Support measures are provided within mainstream schools based on a decision issued by the Republican Centre for Psychopedagogical Assistance or Territorial Psycho-Pedagogical Assistance Service, which evaluates the child's development and issues a recommendation for inclusive educational support. Support is planned through an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) developed in collaboration with teachers, parents, psychologists, and support staff.

In addition to pupils officially recognised as having special educational needs (SEN), other categories of children, youth, and adults may also benefit from educational support measures. These include individuals who, for various reasons, are marginalised or excluded from full participation in education. For example, Roma children, children from socially vulnerable backgrounds, and migrant children may receive compensatory or additional support, such as language learning programmes, integration services, or individualised learning support, within mainstream educational settings. While these groups are not formally classified as SEN, they are nevertheless considered in need of tailored educational interventions to ensure equitable access and successful participation in education.

Specific support measures

If it is the policy of the country concerned to include provision for special educational needs within mainstream education, authors should indicate the kind of special need to which this applies, and whether inclusion is total or whether there are separate classes for certain categories of pupil recognised as having special educational needs. In the latter case, authors should further specify the particular classes concerned. 

In all other cases, authors should describe special measures to provide support to pupils within mainstream education who are recognised as having special educational needs. Such measures might include, but are not restricted to:

• additional support provided by specialist teachers; 

• special teaching methods and materials; 

• special adaptation of the curriculum (subject content, etc.); 

• liaison with non-educational social welfare institutions; 

• special arrangements for evaluation or progress through education; 

• reduced class sizes; 

• alterations to school building facilities, etc. 

The main legislative basis is the Education Code of the Republic of Moldova, which states that every child has the right to receive an education under non-discriminatory conditions and that children with special educational needs have a right to education on equal terms, benefitting from additional assistance and reasonable accommodation. 

The policy direction of the Ministry of Education and Research is inclusive education in mainstream general education institutions, with children ideally educated alongside their peers in regular schools, rather than being segregated. For example, the Programme for the development of inclusive education in the Republic of Moldova for the years 2024 - 2027, aims by 2027 that 80% of educational institutions are adjusted for children with disabilities and special educational needs.

The legislation allows that in general education institutions, “highly specialised services such as Inclusive Education Units or other services for the education of children with severe disabilities may be organised” in accordance with regulations developed by the Ministry. 

Thus, the country follows a mixed model: the default is inclusion in mainstream classes, but there remains the possibility of specialised units or services for certain categories of pupils with more complex needs.

In terms of categories of special educational needs, the legislation refers to children with physical disabilities, sensory impairments (e.g., visual or hearing), reading or other learning disorders, socio-affective and behavioural disorders. In practice, most of the inclusion work is focused on children with disabilities and special educational needs enrolled in mainstream kindergartens and schools. 

Inclusion is intended to be almost total in the sense that children with SEN are to be educated in mainstream institutions, with specialised support provided, and only in limited cases are special institutions/classes used.

The Republic of Moldova has introduced a range of support measures to enable pupils with SEN to participate meaningfully in mainstream education. These include the following:

• Additional support provided by specialist teachers: The legislation requires that in general education institutions where children or students with SEN are enrolled, “support teachers” are employed who are qualified to include children and students with special educational needs. Furthermore, early childhood and preschool institutions (kindergartens) are now able to employ inclusive education specialists – psychologists, speech therapists, support teachers, physical therapists – via staffing norms. 

• Special teaching methods and materials: Schools adapt teaching approaches and materials. For example, the classroom organisation, teaching methods and materials are adapted to the individual needs of pupils with SEN, in collaboration with the family, with individualised educational plans. 

• Special adaptation of the curriculum (subject content, etc.): The policy includes rights to “reasonable accommodation” and adapted educational services according to individual needs (including Braille, sign language, alternative communication) in general education institutions. 

• Liaison with non-educational social welfare institutions: The legislation makes explicit that general education institutions, special education institutions and responsible public authorities must collaborate with social protection institutions and other public or private organisations both domestically and internationally to support children with SEN. Also, the development of early intervention centres and resource centres with integrated services (education + health + social protection) in certain districts are evidence of cross-sector coordination. 

• Special arrangements for evaluation or progress through education: the inclusive education policy emphasises individual assessments and periodic reevaluations in the presence of parents/legal representatives, especially when determining the form of inclusion. 

• Reduced class sizes / alterations to school building facilities: Infrastructure adjustments are part of the inclusive education programme. For example, it is planned that by 2029 at least 15 educational institutions are renovated and adapted for pupils with SEN and disabilities; model schools must include elevators, accessible toilets, resource centres and school minibuses. Also, the provision of assistive technologies and equipment (Braille machines, video magnifiers, AAC devices - augmentative and alternative communication) in mainstream schools demonstrates material adaptation of the learning environment.