Cojocaru Ghenadie
Founder and leader of “Cojocaru Consulting” Company. Ghenadie Cojocaru has 10 years of experience in working with NGOs, international agencies and donors in Moldova in implementing projects in social and local development fields. He has been involved in policy development related to the rights of persons with disability. Also, experience in implementing a country program as a main representative and consultant responsible for projects in social field, socio-vocational integration of vulnerable youth as well as for inclusive education. Has proved strong analytical skills. Participated as consultant in wide range of projects aimed at capacity building of local authorities, as well as enhancing the cooperation between local NGOs and local authorities.
Viorica Cojocaru
Viorica Cojocaru has been involved from the beginning in setting up inclusive education in Moldova. She started in early 2000s with promoting educational inclusion of the children with disabilities and special educational needs who attended the only Center, at that time in Chisinau, for social inclusion of children with disabilities, Center “Speranta”. As a specialist, as well a manager within “Speranta” Ms. Cojocaru contributed significantly to developing multifunctional services for rehabilitation and social integration of children disabilities and their families. The team she was leading promoted and completed the first positive practices of integrating children with disabilities in mainstreaming schools. As a result, the whole process of inclusive education in Moldova was given an incentive which led to setting a National Program in the field, approved by Ministry of Education (the Strategy for 2011-2020). Since March 2011 Ms. Cojocaru continued acting in the field of inclusive education within CCF Moldova as a Psychologist and Inclusive Education Specialist. From this position, she has been involved in the process of developing a model of inclusive education relevant for Moldova through creating services, which meet children with special educational needs’ requirements at both policy and practical level. The developed services were piloted in over 20 counties, which are regions where CCF Moldova reintegrated children from boarding and special schools.
During the whole career in psychology and psycho-pedagogy Viorica Cojocaru has been involved in both working groups for policy elaboration at the Ministry level and in establishing positive practices and specialized structures for inclusive education at the grass root level. In this regard, worthile mentioning that during 2013-2014 she acted as an expert in inclusive education within the working groups set up by the Ministry of Education aimed at developing a curriculum for the training of employees of the Psycho-Pedagogical Assistance Services (PPAS) (Provisions 469, 29) as well as elaboration and realization of the module of inclusion of children with SN in early education. In 2015-2017 was part of working group, organized by the Republican Center for Psycho-Pedagogical Assistance with the support of UNICEF Moldova regarding the implementation of inclusive education in the Republic of Moldova.