Tag Archives: Education

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Czech Republic and Roma Education

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In 2007, the European Court of Human Rights, in a ground-breaking decision, condemned the Czech Republic for discriminating against Roma pupils in their access to education.

However, the Czech Republic continues to discriminate against Roma children in education in spite of this condemnation. Recent statistics show that 15% of Roma children are educated outside of the regular school system (i.e. special schools) whereas for the majority population, this is the case only for 3% of the children.

So there are still special schools in addition to at least 130 segregated ones.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Prague and Roma History

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Jana Kokyová, chairwoman of the Roma Holocaust Compensation Committee, recalled the tragic fate of the Roma and Sinti during the Holocaust at a memorial meeting in Prague-Ruzyn on the 11th of March. In her speech, she emphasized that almost 90% of the Czech Roma and Sinti were exterminated and that this chapter of history is still neglected. She pointed to personal family experiences with Nazism and expressed concern that history might repeat itself. She criticized the insufficient representation of Roma history in school curricula and called for the support of educational programs that would help build a fairer and more tolerant society. At the same time, she drew attention to the current increase in extremism and the need for financial support for the Roma and Sinti Centre to continue its important work.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Vodaphone and Roma

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Vodafone has joined the scholarship program for Roma students, which is implemented by the ROMEA organization. With this step, Vodafone wants to support equal opportunities and fight against discrimination against Roma in the Czech Republic, which has long been criticized by the Council of Europe. Vodafone contributed one hundred thousand crowns to scholarships for Roma students of secondary, higher vocational and university schools, who face many obstacles in achieving a quality education. The scholarship program offers them not only financial support, but also mentoring, mutual meetings, advice, educational activities and internships in organizations or companies, including Vodafone.

Well done!

News Eastern Europe Poland

Auschwitz Seminar

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A program of free seminars for young people devoted to the fate of the Roma and Sinti in the German Auschwitz camp was prepared by the International Centre for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust. The institution announced that they would last from April to December.

Paweł Sawicki from the press office of the Auschwitz Museum, of which the Education Centre is a part, announced on Tuesday that the participants will visit the former camp with a guide during their stay and will also take part in the “Extermination of Sinti and Roma” workshop, which will take place in the former camp block 13. “Semminars will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from April to December, excluding holidays and holidays. The program can be run in Polish, English and German. The museum does not cover travel costs,” Sawicki said.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Prague, a School, and Minorities

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The story of a school in a district of Prague that has a high percentage of Roma and Ukrainians. The city council considers the school to be segregated (as it has a large number of Roma), and wants to transform the school into a Waldorf system.

The parents disagree…

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Ruma, Vojvodina, and Roma

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The president of the Municipality of Ruma, Aleksandra Ćirić Bošković, in cooperation with the National Council of Roma, organized a reception for the best Roma students, holders of the Saint Sava Charter and their class teachers, in the City Hall.

Ruma has a high percentage of Roma population.

News Eastern Europe Poland

Poland, Schools, and Roma

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Robert Bladycz, a Rom teaching assistant from schools in Kamienna Góra, has been trying to get a teaching job for many years, he tells Radio Wrocław. He has a higher degree in education, has been working in schools for 20 years, and despite repeated attempts, he has never been offered a position as a beginner teacher.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Hungary, Roma, and the Police

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Hungary is increasing the stipends of Roma students studying for becoming policemen. That many Roma want to be members of the Hungarian police can be doubted, and anyhow, the stipends are ridiculous. Around 10’000 HUF for an average grade student. Per month. This amounts to 25 euros per months. And with the current inflation …

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and Education

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In December last year, a new association for helping Roma youth was founded in Maribor – Sprememba takoj, the second Roma association in Maribor, founded and run exclusively by Roma. It was registered by Murim Baftiaro, who says that the position of the Roma community in Maribor is declining and that the eternal problems of the Roma – especially poor education and chronic unemployment – must finally be fixed.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Alexander Daško

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The new Slovak government commissioner for Roma communities, Alexander Daško defends the current prime minister Fico and admires Russian culture. He also wants to change the mindset of Roma in his country and his main goal is to eliminate the two shifts in schools and that 120 mio euros have been earmarked for this. In his recent speech, he also hinted that he doesn’t seem to mind if schools are nearly 100% Roma.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and Roma

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The Slovenian Parliamentary Committee for Internal Affairs, Public Administration and Local Self-Government today took note of the tenth report on the situation of the Roma community in Slovenia for the year 2022. A resolution was unanimously adopted proposing to the Education Committee and the government that in solving the challenges of the issue, special emphasis is placed on the upbringing and education of Roma children.

Well, up till now it did not quite work …

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia – A Success Story

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Eldina Nikolić received her university diploma from the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad, and her thesis was declared the best in the entire class. She is a Romni whose family did not speak Romans, and she also learnt it.

Europe

Europe, Roma, and Education

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Most national governments in Europe, the European Commission and other international organizations agree that Roma are left out by the educational systems. The latest report of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights shows disastrous results in 10 countries, including EU member states Romania and Hungary, as well as North Macedonia and Serbia.

The proportion of Roma who felt discriminated against when addressing school authorities has increased over the past five years, the report said. Ethnic segregation in schools has increased among children aged six to 15. The share of young Roma between the ages of 20 and 24 with at least secondary school education remained mostly at the same low level as in previous years.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia and Education

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According to the article, education, being the most important segment of the Strategy for improving the position of Roma men and women, primarily aims to include Roma children and youth in Serbia’s education system. Pedagogical assistants in primary schools is very important factor of this strategy and they have multiple roles.

Ganimeta Zejnula, pedagogical assistant at the “Petar Petrović Njegoš” Primary School in Zrenjanin, drew attention to the results achieved by Roma students who receive assistance in their studies on a daily basis.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Roma and Schools in Slovakia

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Ildikó Kotlárová comes from the Olaš (VlaX) Roma community and has been breaking stereotypes since she was a child. As a teacher and director of the Lajos Mocsáry Elementary School in Fiľakovo, which is attended primarily by students from the Roma community, she fights against stereotypes.

She says that those who live in generational poverty cannot lead their sons and daughters to education. Even if they wanted to learn, they don’t have the finances to do so.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Czech Republic: Romani Teacher

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An interview with an assistant teacher, Anna Farkašová, who has Romane roots and teaches and help children from ghettoes.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Roma Spirit: Portrait

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The director of the Filakovo school is a finalist in Roma Spirit. Ildikó Kotlárová, a Romni,  has been working in education for 36 years. “When pupils see that the principal is a Roma woman, it can inspire and motivate them,” she says.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria: Scholarships

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The Foundation “Trust for a Social Alternative” has announced a scholarship competition for students of Roma origin who are in their second, third or fourth year studying the specialties “Midwife” or “Nurse”. It is aimed at girls or women from the Roma community from the regions of Montana, Ruse, Pleven, Stara Zagora, Haskovo, Burgas, Yambol, Kyustendil, Targovishte, Shumen and Dobrich. The competition is organized within the framework of a scholarship program for Roma nurses and midwives, which is part of the “First 1000 Days” program. The goal is to create inspiring role models for young people from the Roma community, to contribute to the development of patronage care and to solving the problem of the shortage of nurses in Bulgaria, said Iskra Stoykova, program director of the “First 1000 Days” program.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia and Roma Education

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An editorial on the newly published government program on education. In the case of Roma, the government “hid” the entire extensive topic of their inclusion in education under the concept of generational poverty. According to the editorial, this is the proof that the current government is not sincerely interested in solving the inclusion of Roma on a human rights and respectful approach.

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