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Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova chaired the first meeting of the Presidential Commission for the Disabled in a renewed composition. It includes representatives of public organisations, charitable foundations, state agencies and institutions, ministries and departments, as well as the State Duma and the Federation Council.
The issues discussed included the accessibility of secondary vocational education for children with disabilities and special needs, as well as aspects of rehabilitation and medical services for people with disabilities.
According to Tatyana Golikova, there are 775,000 children with disabilities in Russia, 230,000 of whom are aged between 17 and 22. Almost 20 percent of them, or 43,000, are students at secondary vocational education institutions. The quality and accessibility of education and the skills learned through physical interaction with peers and work on their assignments are crucial for young people with special needs to advance professionally.
As many as 4,500 education providers in Russia offer secondary vocational education programmes. The number of students with disabilities in these programmes increases annually; it grew by 8.1 percent in 2024. The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that inclusive education has been provided for some of these students. However, this classroom-based format does not always work for students with disabilities because of the nature and severity of their conditions, especially when it comes to learning vocational skills. Therefore, 23 specialised schools offer vocational training programmes for this category.
People with disabilities also get assistance with employment. The national project Personnel includes a programme for subsidised recruitment, where employers receive compensation for expenses incurred in equipping workplaces for people with disabilities. Retraining courses are also available to acquire skills that are in demand in the labour market.
Following the meeting, Tatyana Golikova instructed the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Ministry of Healthcare, and the Social Fund to collaborate with the regions to thoroughly examine the situation with the vocational education of students with disabilities and submit proposals to improve these institutions’ work.
The Commission members also discussed issues related to improving rehabilitation and medical services for persons with disabilities and special needs. Following the discussion, a number of instructions were given to the Ministry of Healthcare in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, regional executive authorities, and also involving the professional community.
April 16, 2025