A report of a project and school in Cologne – Amaro Kher [Our House]. This school prepares young Rroma and Sinti to the regular school where, unfortunately they are often victims of prejudices and stereotypes.
Almost no news on Rroma this week in France besides the story of the Dutch footballers. A book by a teacher in the Paris suburbs; expulsions threatening the education of Rroma children; some news in the north; and finally, in the 16th (and posh) arrondissement of Paris, people complaining about a housing centre for migrants and refugees …
Amnesty International reported discrimination, racism and abuses in the Czech Republic against Rroma. The Czech education ministry who was stated a violating the children human’s rights filed a complaint with the police. The Czech prosecutor found no reason to push for an indictment but nevertheless slammed the report …
If one wanted a proof …
An initiative by the government of Hessen aims at teaching children about Sinti and Rroma in Germany, and the overall role of discrimination and the need to fight against segregation.
Good!
The Canadian Theatre Director Serge Denoncourt on many topics, including Rroma, discrimination, and education.
The Hungarian Government is pledging 4.76 Mio EUR from the EU funds for Roma colleges in Hungary. Nice, but these are de-facto segregated schools so actually VERY BAD … And paod by the EU.
The French government is defending its policies on fighting children poverty at the UN in Geneva. Besides the high number of children living in poverty in that country, France was also criticised about access to schools and discrimination of migrants, especially of Rroma.
According to a report of the Roma Education Fund, only 20% of Rroma complete their secondary education.
20% of what … According to the Hungarian official statistics, there are less than 200’000 Rroma in Hungary. According to the same government, there are more poor Rroma than that and actually, there are 600’000 Rroma in Hungary. The reality is that there are around 800’000 Rroma in Hungary.
So, which 20%?
Some interesting numbers in Serbia and on education. The census counted 147’000 Rroma in Serbia, or rather, 147’000 people declared themselves or were rated as such in the survey. This represents 2.1% of the population in Serbia. Generally, one counts that there are about 10% of Rroma in that country. A bit more.
The ones who were registered have a bleak future with very low education (only one in a thousand will make it to university).
Bleak but not the full picture.
In Slovenia, kindergartens are not mandatory and can close overnight. With the end of European funding, many kindergartens are closing, especially in places with a high Rroma minority.
A SHAME!
An article on the Roma Education Fund and the stipends it gives out. Here on Czech students.
The tale of a research on a Rroma Boxer in Germany and its impact on today’s Rroma.
Well Done!
A French school teacher has received a price for her work with Rroma children in France.
Well done!
A new campaign by Spain’s Roma Foudnation highlights a girls who wants to be a doctor. Unfortunately, the article highlights stereotypes stating that “6 out of 10” Rroma children do not complete their mandatory education … Well, would be good if they knew how many Rroma they are. 6 out of how many ???
Another article, this time from Slovakia, on the Al Jazeera documentary “Educating Igor”.
Al Jazeera published a reportage on a young Rrom from Eastern Slovakia. He believes that education is key in changing the future of Rroma.
Slovakia was internationally criticised for forced sterilisations, segregation in schools, brutality against Rroma etc.
In his speech to Rroma representatives, Pope Francis told Rroma not to fall into crime so as to break free of prejudice. Translated, this de facto means that the pope thinks that (a) many Rroma are criminals and (b) this is the root cause of their discrimination.
Wrong in both cases …
In spite of clear laws on schooling in France, it is not that easy for Rroma children to get into schools, especially if they do not have a proper address. In some cases, one has to go court …
SHAME!
The council of Europe human rights’ watchdog, Niels Mužnieks slammed Slovakia and the Czech Republic for the segregation and discriminations in schools for Rroma. These countries are continuing to place Rroma children in “special schools”, often for mentally disabled children. They also criticised the physical violence against Rroma by the police in Slovakai as well as other segregating and discriminating actions in those countries.
Shame on them!
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