1. TOWARD AN EQUAL START: CLOSING THE EARLY LEARNING GAP FOR ROMA CHILDREN IN EASTERN EUROPE (2012)
Joost de Laat
Senior Economist
Human Development
World Bank

2. Data Source: UNDP/World bank/ec Regional roma Household Survey (2011)
Survey Partnership:
DG Regional Policy
United Nations Development Program
World Bank
Close coordination with survey by:
Fundament Rights Agency
Interviewed approx 750 Roma households and 350 non-Roma households in same communities in 5 Eastern European countries

3. What do the EU 2020 Goals Mean for A Roma Girl in Eastern Slovakia?

4. 3 Generations …. Of Change?
Tera Fabianova, Slovak Roma writer and poet, 1930 – 2007: “No-one in my family could read and write. I would go and work as a little girl for the “Gadji” for a piece of bread and lard. One day they came to tell us to go to school. 'One from each family must go to school or you'll be locked up.' My mother said, 'You'll go 'cos you're naughty.'” "I sat in the first row, because I wanted to be clever, and near the teacher. I didn't have a pencil or paper or anything. I sat and waited for the teacher. She came and said, 'Hey, you, Gypsy kid. Your place is at the back.' There were three benches where the Romany and poorest children sat. I wasn't allowed to sit at the front. But I wanted to be clever, wanted to learn."

5. 3 Generations …. Of Change?
More than 80% of Roma parents want secondary education for girls.
Uncollected garbage and shacks still common.
Most—87%—of Roma households are in poverty
One third goes hungry at least once a month.
The girl in the picture has an 18% chance of being enrolled in preschool, compared to 72% of the general population.
Between 12%-15% of Roma children are streamed into primary schools for children with mental disabilities.
Odds of graduating secondary school are 9%.
She is unlikely to find work: only 9% of women and 20% of men living in settlements work.
Similar situation in neighboring countries

6. Survey Sample Characteristics
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Hungary
Romania
Slovakia
Go to Bed Hungry (%)
44.4
23.5
35.4
56.2
39.9
Unsafe Economic Situation (%)
61.5
54.0
70.7
67.2
Social Assistance (%)
16.6
60.7
59.8
26.8
55.6
Monthly Disposable Income per Capita:
Roma (€)a 62
190
102 35
125
General Population (€)b
148
398
285
134
291
Roma Incomes Relative to General Population (%)
41.9
47.7
35.8
26.1
43.0

7. International Evidence: INVEST EARLY
Walker et al. The Lancet, Volume 378, Issue 9799, Pages
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd Terms and Conditions

8. INVEST EARLY TO REDUCE INEQUALITIES
Figure 1
Engle et al. (2011)The Lancet, Volume 378, Issue 9799, Pages
Source: The Lancet 2011; 378: (DOI: /S (11) )
Terms and Conditions

9. INVEST EARLY TO REDUCE INEQUALITIES
Figure 3
Differences in cognitive outcomes by quintile (Lancet (2011)
Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test7 standard scores by country and quintile of expenditure.
Data for children (aged 5–6 years) speaking the majority language of the region or country (in parentheses).
Engle et al. (2011)The Lancet, Volume 378, Issue 9799, Pages

10. Gap in Early Learning Outcomes
Recognize the symbols for numbers 1 to 10?
Read at least four simple, popular words?

11. FINDINGS FROM LANCET (2011) Review
Figure 3
FINDINGS FROM LANCET (2011) Review
Inequality in early childhood: risk and protective factors for early child development (2011)
Inequalities in child development begin prenatally and in the first years of life
The most effective and cost-efficient time to prevent inequalities is early in life before trajectories have been firmly established
Action or lack of action will have lifetime consequences for adult functioning
Walker et al. The Lancet, Volume 378, Issue 9799, Pages
Terms and Conditions

12. THIS REPORT on IMPROVING EARLY LEARNING AND PRE-SCHOOL ACCESS for ROMA CHILDREN
International evidence: high return investment
Survey: vast majority Roma parents desire at least secondary education completion for children
Report objectives:
Provide overview of Roma preschool participation, and pre- school environment, in kindergartens and at home
Identify key barriers to improving pre-school access

13. Challenged HOME LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Limited to households with children aged 3-5 years old.
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Hungary
Romania
Slovakia
Number of books at home
Mean
1.8
7.0
7.2
1.2
2.6
Median 5 4 1
Activities with children, past 3 days
Look at picture books or read books
23%
50%
57%
17%
44%
Draw or paint
21%
51%
42%
19%
45%
Teach letters or count
15%
29%
12%
22%

14. PRESCHOOL LINKED TO LATER LIFE OUTCOMES
Roma adults who attended preschool as children are/were:
Much less likely to enrol into special school :
6 ppts in Czech Republic and 7 ppts in Slovakia
Much more likely to complete secondary school
13 ppts (Slovakia) to 16 ppts (Romania)
Less likely to be on social assistance as adults
7 ppts (Romania) to 17 ppts (Hungary)

15. Overview of Pre-school environment
Enrollment among Roma children: very large gap
CZ and SK: 3-5 year olds; BG, HU, RO: 3-6 year olds

16. ESTIMATING DETERMINANTS OF PRESCHOOL ENROLMENT
Comparing neighbors with similar socio-economic chars, pre-school increases with:
Parents’ attendance of pre-school
Household hunger

17. Determinants of pre-school enrolment

18. Determinants of pre-school enrolment

19. MANY PARENTS RECONSIDER PRESCHOOL IF FREE AND WITH ROMA TEACHING ASST:
Free attendance - reconsider
Roma teacher/mediator - reconsider

20. Increase pre-school enrolment:
(1) provide parents basic information on the benefits of preschool education
(2) promote inclusive preschools by enhancing parental involvement and hiring Roma teaching assistants
(3) remove cost barriers possibly coupled with regular attendance subsidies
(4) support parenting at home

21. Thank you!
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