The Strategy for Roma Integration into the Education System of Serbia Budapest, June 2003.

Demographic Data  2002 census (1,44%) Roma  expert estimation: Roma ¹ Nacionalne manjina u SR Jugoslaviji, Savezno ministarstvo nacionalnih i etničkih zajednica, Beograd, 2001.

Socio-economic Status  Isolation from the social trends  Life in segregated settlements  Poverty  Discrimination

Isolation from the Social Trends Lack of social power, lack of voice Unable to realize their rights as citizens Live in isolation from the society, almost as in a paralel world A part of the Roma population in extremely bad conditions:  IDPs from Kosovo (IDP status, do not speak Serbian)  Deported from EU countries (no earnings, no language skills)  Street children, without parents.

Life in segregated settlements  Majority of Roma living in segregated settlements (mahalas) without basic needs met (without solid shelter, water, electicity), on city margins, waste deposit areas, under bridges.

Majority of Roma in extreme poverty, without employment, social and health insurance. Poor families with many children cannot support their schooling thus reproducing the poverty cycle. Poverty

Discrimination  Research shows high level of social distance towards the Roma in Serbia  There is almost nobody in the Roma population who did not experience some form of discrimination:  Denial of employment even when having adequate qualifications  barriers in the protection of their rights  humiliation, physical violence

Educational status  Roma are the educationally most endangered minority in Serbia¹  About 80% of Roma completely or functionally illiterate  These are mostly women  According to the census 78,7% Roma without complete basic education, only 4,1% with secondary education, and 0,2% with higher education  Data from 2002 census not yet available, but no reason to expect positive changes. ¹Sveobuhvatna analiza sistema osnovnog obrazovanja u SRJ, UNICEF, Beograd, 2001.

Roma in Education System  Exclusion  Low level of educational achievement  Discrimination

Exclusion  Negligible number involved in preschool education (exceptions some NGO programs)  Although basic education (8 grades) is compulsory, enrollment of Roma children is low, and even among these drop-out rate is high.  Roma children seldom enter secondary 4 year education (from applicants 58 Roma this year – i.e. 0.08%). Those who attend secondary education choose 3 or 2 years VET programs.  Even measures of positive discrimination last year did not result in Roma enrollment to higher education (only a few applicants)  No Roma enrollment in adult education

Quality of Roma Children Education  Low level of schools outcomes  Low level of knowledge of the majority language  Low level of knowledge of Roma language, history and culture  Lack of motivation for education  Visible discrimination (no friends among class-mates, sitting in back desks, no record of absence for Roma, in case of more substancial Roma enrollment, non-Roma parents refusal to let their children enroll

Quality of Roma Children Education Developmental assessment at school enrollment age was biased against Roma – higher then expected rate of enrollment to special schools  Official school statistics do not register nationality, however, unofficial appraisals show that 50-80% of children in special schools are Roma¹  This suits both the schools and the Roma parents  Roma children feel competent and self-confident in special schools (higher achievements, no discrimination) ¹ Sveobuhvatna analizasistema osnovnog obrazovanja u SRJ, UNICEF 2001

Educational System Problems  Lack of integration programs  Lack of knowledge about the specific needs of the Roma children  No contents related to Roma language, culture or tradition in the curriculum  Small number of schools with special Roma elective subject :  2002/ schools¹  2001/ schools (mostly in Vojvodina)²  No department for Romany studies at University ¹ Pokrajinski sekretarijata za nauku, obrazovanje I kulturu ² Savezno ministarstvo za ljudska i manjinska prava

Aims of the Strategy of Roma Integration into Education System  Inclusion of all Romany children into all levels of education system and assurance of continuance in their education  Assurance and improvement of quality of their education

Some of Measures for Integration of Roma in Education System  Including the children in preschool education at early age  Support and help for Romany families whose children attend schools  Special enrollment policy  Integration programs and teachers training  Support to the education of Roma educational staff  Integrating contents of Romany culture and history into regular curriculum, school textbooks and teacher’s guidebooks  Improving syllabus of Romany language and culture subject  Education of Romany experts for Romany language, history and culture  Developing mechanisms for protection against discrimination

Suggested measures are conceived as a part of systematical changes in the frame of the Education reform and other relevant section

Assurance of the same conditions for Quality Education for All