Roma Education

1
Roma Education

• From projects to policy achieving Access,
  Choice, and Quality

2
Key Findings / Conclusions

• Intercultural education (And/And policies)
  having the best of Roma and mainstream education,
  dont expect that trade-offs are necessary
• Roma as full partners involve Roma parents and
  communities in policy development and
  implementation, building trust and capacity
• Lifelong learning approach from pre-school to
  second chance/adult education
• Expect/demand educational proficiency and
  success, pursue quality
• Need information and accountability (measuring
  gains)

3
Key Policy Recommendations

• Address Roma education in context of education
  reforms to improve quality, relevance and access
  (e.g. teacher training, curriculum reform, and
  secondary education)
• Focus on the Roma learner - use supply and demand
  side interventions to address barriers
• Remove rigid pathways that make gaps larger (eg.
  categorisation of children to special education,
  VET, Gymnasia)
• Desegregation / integration of Roma schools needs
  alignment of legal, financial and political
  move ahead on voluntary basis using incentives
  and support to teachers/schools
• Measuring progress/gains using goals/targets

4
Comprehensive Approach Address Demand and Supply

• Demand side
• Child allowances
• School feeding
• Roma child/parent voice in school governance
• Community involvement (Roma language teachers,
  Community mediators, adult education)
• School climate
• Role models Roma teachers, leaders
• Awards, scholarships, stipends
• Relevance to jobs and economic opportunties

• Supply side
• Decentralisation decisions made at local level
• Financing per capita and catch up financing
• Access transport, distance education
• Quality Teacher training and curriculum reforms
• Visibility Roma history, language
• Accountability Roma inspectors, monitor and
  measure outcomes

5
Questions for the Future

• Intervention or facilitation (should integration
  be forced?)
• Integration or dual system (how to ensure equal
  quality)
• Where to start (pre-school, primary school,
  secondary school, university, adult literacy and
  training)
• Addressing barriers outside of education
• Role of Education Fund in helping with financing
  gaps
• Helping young educated Roma to retain
  family/community links