Tag Archives: Education

Moldova News Eastern Europe

Education in Moldova

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Education in Moldova

A meeting organized by the Ministry of Education and Research focused on developing services for Roma communities through community mediators, involving various stakeholders.

Discussions included improving educational access for Roma children and youth, preventing school absenteeism, and enhancing access to health and social services.

The new regulation defines the role of community mediators and aims to strengthen cooperation between mediators and public institutions to support Roma communities in Moldova.

News Eastern Europe Romania

High School in Romania

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High School in Romania

The admission process for high schools in Constanța for 2026 shows significant differences in average grades between general placements and special placements for Roma candidates and students with special educational needs (SEN).

Some of the most sought-after high schools admitted Roma candidates with averages below 6, with the lowest being 5.12 at Liceul Ovidius, while the lowest national evaluation scores were much higher.

A total of 17 candidates from these special categories were not placed, with the lowest average for Roma candidates being 1.90 and for SEN candidates being 1.35, indicating challenges in accessing education for these vulnerable groups.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Orban and Roma

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Orban and Roma

When Viktor Orbán’s returned to power in 2010, laws were changed to allow and promote the segregation of Roma students in Hungary, reversing previous integration efforts.

The Chance For Children Foundation (CFCF) successfully challenged school segregation through legal means prior to 2010, resulting in the integration of approximately 3,000 Roma students. The current situation shows a significant increase in Roma students attending segregated schools, with estimates suggesting that two-thirds are now in such institutions, compared to one-third before Orbán’s regime.

News Eastern Europe Romania

Romanian High School Admissions

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Romanian High School Admissions

The Bucharest School Inspectorate published the official lists for high school admissions in 2026, revealing that over 900 candidates, including many Roma and students with special educational needs, were left without placements despite high admission averages.

Only 617 out of 1,346 Roma candidates were placed, and 186 out of 737 candidates with special educational needs also remained unplaced, highlighting a significant shortfall in available special placements.

Students who were not placed must act quickly to fill out their options for the general computerized placement, ensuring they list a sufficient number of schools to increase their chances of admission.

News Eastern Europe Romania

Success Story

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Success Story

Olimpia, a young Romni from a modest background, has successfully passed her Bacalaureat exam and aims to enroll in the Medical Faculty in Cluj-Napoca, showcasing that ambition and hard work can overcome obstacles.

Supported by the Roma Party Pro Europa, she serves as an inspiration for other Roma students to pursue higher education despite challenges such as school dropout rates and limited opportunities. Her story emphasizes that educational success is achievable regardless of one’s background, and it can serve as a powerful motivator for others in disadvantaged communities.

The fact they chose a pricture that looks more like a police view of criminals with hidden faces says a lot about the fear of Roma to out themselves in Romania.

News Eastern Europe Romania

High School Allocations

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High School Allocations

In Iași County, Romania, the admission process for high schools in 2026 includes 354 distinct places, with 205 allocated for Roma students and 149 for candidates with special educational needs (SEN).

The options for enrollment must be completed on July 13 and 14, 2026, with the allocation of students occurring on July 16, 2026, through a computerized system.

Roma students need a written recommendation confirming their ethnicity to participate, while SEN candidates must submit a certificate from the County Center for Resources and Educational Assistance

Now the question is, who certifies the Romani ethnicity? This is a dangerous path.

Moldova News Eastern Europe

Education In Moldova

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Education In Moldova

A consultative meeting organized by the Ministry of Education in Soroca focused on improving access to education for Roma children and preventing school dropout.

The meeting included local authorities, educational institutions, community mediators, civil society organizations, and parents, discussing affirmative measures to support Roma students. The importance of early education and collaboration between authorities, schools, and the Roma community was emphasized to create a more inclusive educational environment.

Proposed measures include reserving 10% of places in first and tenth grades for Roma children, admission facilities for vocational and higher education, merit scholarships, and increased social scholarships for vulnerable families.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Education in Slovenia

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Education in Slovenia

Eleven Roma students from the Kher šu beši Day Center visited the mayor of Trebnje, Mateja Povhe, after regularly attending school and center activities. The mayor emphasized the importance of education for achieving their dreams and encouraged the children to continue attending school for better opportunities.

The municipality of Trebnje is actively promoting the inclusion of Roma children in education, recognizing it as essential for their personal development and successful integration into society.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Education in Slovenia

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Education in Slovenia

Borut Rončević, a sociology professor at the university of Novo Mesto and current minister of Eudcation in the Slovenian government, speaks about his plans and views. Specifically about Roma, he says there is a need for a comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges faced by Roma children in schools, emphasizing collaboration across various sectors including education, social policy, and local communities. He highlights the importance of accountability among parents, teachers, and the state in ensuring that all children, regardless of their background, achieve basic educational standards. He insists on the equal application of laws for school attendance, something that is being reproached to Roma regularly.

What he did not discuss is the profound issues of exclusion and racism faced by Roma in the region.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Scholarships

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Scholarships

The ROMEA scholarship program has long helped young Roma men and women overcome financial obstacles associated with studies. In addition to scholarships, it also offers them mentoring, educational activities and the opportunity to meet other students regularly.

The annual scholarship is 15,000 crowns (620 euros) for high school students, 21,000 crowns (870 euros) for students of higher vocational schools and 26,000 crowns (1075 euros) for university students. The support is intended primarily for expenses related to studies, such as textbooks, school supplies, travel, tuition, courses or other costs that may be an obstacle for students and their families in continuing their education.

Since 2016, the program has awarded 805 scholarships worth a total of almost 14 million crowns and supported hundreds of students from all over the Czech Republic.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Rom and Doctor

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Rom and Doctor

Ján Deme, an eye doctor from Slovakia, discusses the challenges and successes of being a Roma in the medical field, emphasizing the importance of role models and community support for aspiring Roma professionals.

He highlights the need for systemic changes in the Roma community to foster more doctors, advocating for sustainable and effective solutions rather than just financial aid.

Deme shares his experiences in both Slovakia and the Czech Republic, noting the differences in healthcare systems and expressing a desire to contribute positively to his community while maintaining his professional identity.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Education in Slovakia

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Education in Slovakia

Milan Dulina, the director of a school in the Luník IX district, emphasizes the need for systemic changes to improve education for Roma children and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

He highlights the importance of community involvement in schools, noting that hiring local staff has led to better discipline and respect among students.

The school has achieved notable successes, including sports achievements and a reduction in absenteeism, by fostering a positive environment and engaging students in their education.

News Eastern Europe Romania

Education Project

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Education Project

A total of 820 Roma children received educational, social, and psychological services as part of an inclusion program, with over 6,000 participating in intercultural dialogue activities to foster understanding among children from different backgrounds.

The project aims to improve access to education and increase school attendance for Roma children in 15 localities, with over 95% promotion rate among monitored children, indicating effective interventions.

The initiative, supported by the Pestalozzi Children’s Foundation and the Ministry of Education, also developed a common methodological package for educational institutions and created a unique monitoring database for Roma population data.

Moldova News Eastern Europe

Moldova and Education

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Moldova and Education

Several articles in the Moldovan press about new measures regarding the integration of Roma in education. Starting from the 2026-2027 academic year, special admission quotas and scholarships will be available for Roma students in schools, colleges, and universities, with 10% of available spots reserved for them.

Roma students will be exempt from admission fees and can access funded places, with a total of 120 individuals receiving financial support, including monthly scholarships of 1,200 lei.

The initiative aims to eliminate barriers to education for Roma children and ensure equal opportunities, as stated by Ivan Duminica from the Ministry of Education and Research.

Moldova News Eastern Europe

Moldovan Mediators

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Moldovan Mediators

The Moldovan government approved changes to the regulations governing community mediators to enhance their effectiveness in assisting Roma families in accessing public services.

Community mediators will now have expanded responsibilities, including identifying vulnerable individuals and facilitating their contact with relevant public services. The reform includes ongoing professional training for mediators and aims to improve service quality and resource efficiency, promoting social inclusion and educational access for Roma children.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Education in Slovakia

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Education in Slovakia

Education for children from marginalized Roma communities in Slovakia faces significant challenges, particularly regarding language barriers, as many children arrive at school speaking Romani or a Romani-influenced Slovak. Teachers report that the school system often fails to accommodate these language differences, leading to misinterpretations of children’s abilities and creating additional stress for both students and educators.

There is a call for systemic support, including the return of Roma language assistants and a shift in perspective to view Romani as a valuable part of children’s identity rather than a hindrance to learning.

Europe

Roma Education

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Roma Education

Danijela Dimitrovska highlights that Roma communities in Europe face significant barriers in education and employment, with 36% unemployment among Roma and 56% of young Roma not engaged in education or training.

She emphasizes the need for education, vocational training, and support systems to enable equal participation in the labor market, while also addressing discrimination and racism as major obstacles. Dimitrovska calls for greater integration of Roma into society and warns that Europe cannot afford to exclude millions of young people, especially during times of labor shortages and social challenges.

While her position and statements are correct, the use of percentages is definitively not. There are no definitive population numbers for Roma in Europe. And if one doesn’t know, the population, percentages are meaningless.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Czech Schools and Roma

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Czech Schools and Roma

Romani children face prejudice, bullying, and violence in schools, with nearly half of teachers admitting to having negative personal feelings towards them.

A new project by IQ Roma Servis aims to empower Romani mothers to advocate for their rights and their children’s rights through community legal advisors. It operates a center in Brno for parents and children, including a preschool club that helps children transition to kindergarten and teaches them social skills. The club aims to prevent children from feeling marginalized and encourages them to communicate any discomfort to their parents.

A new project called “Aven savore džas anglal” is training Roma mothers to advocate for their rights and those of their children, with the goal of empowering them to become legal advisors in their communities.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Kindergarten and Roma

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Kindergarten and Roma

An article about the fact that there are almost no Roma in Kkindergarten in a Slovenian region that has several Roma settlements. According to the article:

Although there are many Roma people living in the municipality of Šentjernej, and around 70 Roma children attend primary school, this is not reflected in kindergarten enrolment. According to the principal, not a single Roma child currently attends the kindergarten.

“Despite our efforts, we have not managed to collect enough applications for a shorter program funded by the state and intended for children who do not attend kindergarten before entering school.”

Italy News Western Europe

Inclusion Project

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Inclusion Project

The “Inclusion and Integration of Roma, Sinti, and Caminanti Children and Adolescents (RSC)” project is an institutional initiative aimed at combating school dropout, educational poverty, and social exclusion, funded by the National Inclusion Programme and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).

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