The “Resource Room” Pilot Project, implemented within the cooperation of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, the Republican Pedagogical-Psychological Center (RPPC), UNICEF, and “Perkins International” organization, has been completed, and a roundtable discussion was held on 22 September 2026 to present the results of the Project and discuss its further implementation.
The aim of the event was to present the experience gained through the implementation of the “Resource Room” Pilot Project and its key evaluation findings, discuss opportunities for sustaining the model and introducing it in phases, and coordinate next steps with partners towards its comprehensive rollout and continued implementation.
Officials from the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports and the Ministry of Health, as well as representatives of the Republican Pedagogical-Psychological Center, UNICEF, Territorial Pedagogical-Psychological Support Centers (TPPSCs), and non-governmental organizations, directors of the participating schools and parents attended the Event.
RPPC Director Lilit Mnatsakanyan emphasized the importance of ensuring every child’s right to education. In this context, Mrs. Mnatsakanyan presented the opportunities and vision for including learners with 3rd and 4th levels of support in the teaching and learning process. She expressed her gratitude to all partner organizations and participating schools for the successful experience gained through the Pilot Project and their willingness to extend this experience to schools across the Republic of Armenia. “The Project became a message that every child is capable of learning, and every child is capable of developing,” Mrs. Mnatsakanyan highlighted.
Maya Simonyan, UNICEF Early Childhood Development Programme Officer, attached importance to the research and statistics on global developments in inclusive education and approaches to educating learners with special educational needs. Such evidence can help identify the most appropriate and feasible model for Armenia.
Experts from “Perkins International” Organization, Martina Celizić and Nikolina Juric Tanfara, also joined the discussion online. Martina Celizić addressed the conceptual and methodological foundations of the Pilot Project, which had been developed with the involvement of experts from “Perkins International” Organization. Particular emphasis was placed on activities aimed at developing sustainable skills among learners with 3rd and 4th levels of support needs, as well as strengthening the capacities of specialists. These activities included assessing each learner’s situation, identifying priorities, and taking all available resources into account, which could help determine the feasibility of introducing the Project in all schools across the Republic of Armenia.
RPPC Deputy Director Haykuhi Adamyan presented the implementation process and evaluation findings of the Pilot Project, highlighting the core philosophy of the Resource Room: differentiated instruction tailored to each learner’s individual characteristics. H. Adamyan discussed the factors contributing to the Project’s success, including:
- ✦ creating a supportive and transitional environment;
- ✦ allocating the functions of the Resource Room;
- ✦ ensuring a logical sequence of implementation stages;
- ✦ selecting schools and teachers;
- ✦ organising learners’ daily routines and learning environments; and other related factors.
According to her, the Project’s effectiveness was underpinned by the implementation of a comprehensive support system. In this context, the importance of evaluating the Pilot Project against various criteria was emphasized. These included adaptations to the learning environment, identified as one of the Project’s key strengths; continuity of the methodology; social inclusion; changes in school culture; impact at both school and family levels; and a reassessment of trust between schools and families, etc․
Head of the Center of the National Health Accounts at the National Institute of Health of the RA Ministry of Health Anastas Aghazaryan addressed the financial assessment of the Pilot Project, examining its effectiveness in terms of key expenditure components and financing experience.
One of the most significant indicators of the Project’s effectiveness was the positive feedback received from parents. In their view, the establishment of the Resource Room had divided their lives into two distinct periods: before and after the Resource Room. They noted that the Room had become not only a supportive and safe environment promoting children’s social inclusion, but also a source of confidence, peace of mind, and new opportunities for parents themselves. Particular emphasis was placed on the positive impact of the support provided in the Resource Room on both the children’s daily lives and the overall family atmosphere.
The Meeting concluded with a roundtable discussion on sustaining the “Resource Room” model, introducing it in phases, and identifying subsequent steps. The key issues discussed included:
- ✦ ensuring the continued operation of the three existing Resource Rooms;
- ✦ establishing the model’s legal and organizational framework and clearly defining the groups of beneficiaries;
- ✦ identifying territorial priorities for phased expansion and establishing criteria for school selection;
- ✦ clarifying the respective roles of RPPC, TPPSCs, schools, and partner organizations;
- ✦ reaching preliminary agreement on subsequent steps, responsible parties, and timelines.
The Discussion featured an active Q&A session, during which participants addressed a range of important issues related to the effectiveness and methodology of the Project, as well as the application of the experience gained, also sharing their observations and recommendations.
23.09.2026
