Budgeting of Pre-school Education for Children with Disabilities in the Municipalities of Elbasan and Korça, Albania

In 2012, the Ministry of Education and Sports approved the Law “On Pre-University Education” which paves the way for the implementation of inclusive education. Even though 6 years have elapsed since the law has been passed, children with disabilities still do not receive support that meets their needs. Many children with disabilities and their families face barriers, inadequate services, discriminatory attitudes and an incomplete legislation. Many children with developmental problems and disabilities have not been timely identified and have not been supported with appropriate interventions. The multitude of barriers and constant difficulties they are facing are leaving a deep mark on them and will have a long impact on their lives, leading to poverty and permanent exclusion.

The implementation of inclusive education policy in numerous cases is faced with unsustainable and unsupportive budgets and financial frameworks. By the experience of many countries, applying inclusive education, the funding is acknowledged as one of the greatest challenges1 to be faced. Albania, on the road to applying inclusive education, faces the inadequacy of financial resources, coupled with inadequate educational structures to accommodate children with disabilities, lack of qualified staff, and lack of appropriate didactic materials that support the learning process for children with disabilities in inclusive education structures.