Tag Archives: Education

News Western Europe United Kingdom

Roma, Travellers, and Universities

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Roma, Travellers, and Universities

According to recently published numbers, the number of “Gypsy or Travellers” enrolled in univeristies in the UK increased from 105 in 2019/2020 to 2’535 in 2023/2024. Apparently, the increase is mostly due to Roma students.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Arte: Reportage

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Arte: Reportage

In Hungary, 40% of Roma live below the poverty line. Young members of the community are particularly affected by school dropout rates. Faced with this situation, Ambedkar High School stands out as an island of resistance, exclusively accommodating Roma students. The story of this hope is first and foremost linked to one man: Tibor Derdak, the school’s headmaster.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Schools and Disadvantaged Students

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Schools and Disadvantaged Students

An article about the fact that there are gifted children among Roma … Clearly so, but not for everybody. Statistics and new studies show that there are thoughtful and bright children among them, but as a society we have great reserves in recognizing and supporting them.

“In segregated schools, talent is usually not talked about, and if it is, it is in the context of artistic or sports talent. Roma children are good at boxing, music and dance, but not at mathematics,” describes Karel Gargulák from the research company PAQ Research, how Czech society is used to thinking about certain groups of the population. “

Segregation is bad, just think of the USA …

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia, Education, and Social Help

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Slovenia, Education, and Social Help

Although primary education is compulsory in Slovenia, some individuals do not complete it. The issue is particularly acute in the Roma community, as according to Amnesty International, more than 60% of Roma in Slovenia have not completed primary education. Among the initiatives to the government was a proposal that primary education would be mandatory if individuals wanted to draw on state forms of assistance and allowances and, in general, the benefits offered by the state.

But the Ministry of Labor, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities rejects the proposal. They explained (rightly so):

“The purpose of all forms of social assistance, supplements (child, care) and other benefits and subsidies is to ensure a basic level of social security for residents. The condition of being tied to education could constitute discrimination and a violation of the principle of equality before the law.”

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Roma Students

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Roma Students

The best Roma students in primary and secondary schools in Čačak, Serbia, were awarded 10 laptops, of which seven elementary school students and three high school students were awarded towards the end of 2025.

Montenegro News Eastern Europe

Education in Montenegro

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Education in Montenegro

The Ministry of Education and Science introduced Roma educational mediators in secondary education for the first time this school year, with the aim of promoting inclusion and reducing dropout of students from the Roma ethnic community. Through a public call, 20 individuals were selected to work directly with high school students and their families to overcome the educational and social challenges they face.

Let’s see what it really does.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Education

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Education

The low level of education among Roma is seen in Slovenia as a large issue in integrating Roma in the workforce. There have been efforts to better the situation, but they are only a few. The Novo Mesto Development and Education Centre has been working intensively with the education of Roma for the past twenty-five years, ever since they began to more seriously include them in the adult primary school program.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Romani Girls

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Romani Girls

The final conference of the “Delimo” mentoring program was held in Belgrade. It is an initiative implemented by the Roma Women’s Center Bibija and the Roma Students’ Initiative, with the support of UNICEF, with the aim of strengthening the leadership and activism of Roma girls through mentoring and intergenerational exchange of knowledge and experiences.

News Eastern Europe Ukraine

Lutsk and Roma

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Lutsk and Roma

Lutsk, Ukraine, takes steps towards equal access to education for Roma children and youth. Educational programs, after-school activities, and support for vulnerable families are the focus of the city’s policy on the integration of national communities.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

School against Cash

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School against Cash

In Slovenia there is a program that allows adults without a completed primary school to enroll in Primary School for Adults, while at the same time providing them with financial compensation – most often between 300 and 450 euros per month. It is part of the active employment policy run by the Employment Service. The purpose of the compensation is not to reward, but to ensure a minimum income so that an adult can complete their education. In addition, recipients also receive reimbursement for transportation and meal expenses, which gives the program additional appeal.

News Western Europe Spain

Roma in Spain

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Roma in Spain

An overview of the current situation, progress, and challenges faced by Roma in Spain.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Czechia: Choir

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Czechia: Choir

More than three dozen Roma children from Ostrava have had their first rehearsal of a new choir. This is the only regional branch of the well-known choir Čhavorenge under the direction of singer and choirmaster Ida Kelarová. They will rehearse regularly and hope that it will change their lives.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Stolipinovo and School Start

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Stolipinovo and School Start

Stolipinovo is one of the largest Mahala (Roma neighbourhood) in Bulgaria in the city of Plovdiv. On the eve of the new school year, Plovdiv Regional Governor Prof. Hristina Yancheva visited Plovdiv’s Stolipinovo to talk to parents, children and volunteers from the local community, the regional administration announced. The meetings aim to build trust and motivate families to support education as a path to a better future for their children.

Let’s hope this works.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia and Education

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Serbia and Education

At the beginning of another school year, the Municipality of Beočin provided school supplies for 205 Roma students attending two primary schools.

The distribution of school supplies in recent days was carried out by the coordinator for Roma issues of the Municipal Administration of Beočin Ismet Ademovski and the pedagogical assistant at the Primary School “Jovan Grčić Milenko” Feruz Drmaku.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria: Desegregation

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Bulgaria: Desegregation

For the third consecutive year, Montana Municipality will work on a project for educational desegregation and integration of students from the Kosharnik district, announced Mayor Zlatko Zhivkov.

Free transportation to five of the schools in the city has been provided for 218 children from the Roma district. This is a basic condition for them to attend class. Also, most of them – 198 students will be provided with teaching aids and materials. An educational mediator will establish the school-family relationship and monitor for manifestations of discrimination.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Baruvas

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Baruvas

Over forty Roma high school and university students from all over the country participated in the twenty-sixth Baruvas meeting (Romanes “we grow”) in the Jizera Mountains at the end of August. The program offered workshops on hate speech, Roma history, Romani language and traditions, working with emotions, activism, a healthy lifestyle and a space for sharing and support.

News Switzerland

Switzerland and Travellers

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Switzerland and Travellers

Schooling for Roma children in Valais is still lacking. However, a year ago, State Councilor for Education Christophe Darbellay expressed his desire to find an “ad hoc” solution for these traveling children.

Well, they are doing something: Trying to prevent them entering the canton…

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia, Schools, and Romanes

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Serbia, Schools, and Romanes

The director of the Office for Roma Inclusion of the AP Vojvodina Ljiljana Mihajlović, together with provincial deputy Jelena Jovanović, visited the Vršac College of Education and Medicine with the aim of supporting the enrolment of a new generation of students for the preschool teacher program in the Romani language.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Roma Assistant

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Roma Assistant

The Slovene government has specified what “Roma Assistants” in the context or primary schools are. One outraged lady was complaining that this was discriminatory, and got the full legal explanation of this job and its description.

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