Skopje, 3 December 2021 (MIA) – People with disabilities can and are changing the world. They are active participants in social processes and changes. This December 3, we’re sending a strong message that all of us, as well as institutions, must fight stereotypes that disability prevents the individual from setting personal goals and achieving them, as well as contributing to the development of the country, Minister of Education and Science Mila Carovska said on the occasion of International Day of Disabled Persons. She underlined that the Ministry and the government have made significant progress in advancing disabled children’s rights and opportunities for quality education. The level of inclusion in education significantly increased in 2021 and institution’s efforts produced results. “We achieved full inclusion in primary education. New learning materials are available in e-format, audio versions, as well as in Braille. Special elementary schools transformed into schools with resource centers and education assistance became a systematic solution. At the moment, 500 education assistants are supporting students nationwide, at the expense of the country, not families,” Carovska noted. In order to encourage the inclusion of children with atypical development in the education process, the Ministry of Education and Science together with European partners and the civil sector has provided scholarships for first and second graders and increased by over 27% scholarships for high school students with disabilities. Ensuring inclusion, the Ministry said in a press release, has become a precondition for allocating funds for adapting, restoring and constructing school buildings. “The International Day of Disabled Persons reminds us to be good citizens and heads of institutions and ensure people with disabilities live better lives,” Minister Carovska said. Guided by the principle of equality, the Ministry of Education and Science, the release added, is making efforts to further advance the process of inclusion, as one of the basic pillars modern societies and education systems are based on.