Integration of the Roma in VET Agnes Roman, ETUCE Sesimbra 10 March, 2012

MUNDI ROMANI: the World through Roma Eyes:

1. Individual actions

1. Problems 2. EU actions 3. ETUCE actions 4. National example: Spain

Problems: Access to VET and motivation 1. Living conditions: housing, employment 2. Access to early childhood education 3. Segregation of schools 4. Roma students as “disabled students” 5. Lack of self-esteem of the Roma 6. Lack of motivation by the schools 7. Lack of Roma teachers and Roma intellectuals as “role models” 8. Situation of Roma women (traditions: early marriage….)

Council of Europe: Problems: high drop-out of school as the result of discrimination schools refuse to register Roma children due to pressure of non-Roma parents bullying, harassment from non-Roma students, parents financial problems and the lack of documents such as birth certificates and proof of residence

Problems with VET: 1. Low status of VET – low status of those who are in VET 2. VET schooling of Roma is considered as exclusion: “In the Netherlands, there is a disproportionately large attendance of Roma and Sinti children in vocational training schools … as opposed to upper secondary schools.”

Problems with VET: 3. Pressing need to increase the chances of Roma entering the labour market -> improving the public vocational training programmes for Roma 4. Roma women’s high unemployment rate: participation in markets, rural trade and seasonal agricultural work. -> access to VET

2. EU actions EU Framework for National Roma Integration strategies up to 2020 (Hungarian Presidency – 2010) Strategies can be effective by including all four pillars of Roma integration: education, employment, health, housing.

EU Framework for National Roma Integration strategies up to 2020 improving school attendance improving early childhood education and care. special attention to Roma women and girls policy paper condemns the segregation in education and the practice of labelling schools as disadvantaged.

EU Projects The EU’s Leonardo da Vinci and Youth programmes funded educational projects for the Roma and some Phare programme funded projects have been taken up as part of national education strategies. Roma issues have also been addressed ad hoc by European Social Fund projects and the Community Action Program with respect to education and vocational training.

Intercultural dialogue Promotion of multiculturalism, professional development of teachers CEDEFOP Study visit: Challenges for education and teacher training of the Roma (p 284) May 2013: Pécs, Hungary CEDEFOP Study visit: Schools of inclusion: access to mainstream education for Roma children (p 282) May 2013: Sofia, Bulgaria

3. ETUCE actions Projects, statements, seminar discussions Statement: Education as a tool in the Roma inclusion policies (20 May 2011) EU policy fails to include the views of Roma intellectuals More investment in education for : - continuous teacher training, - special teacher training material, - alternative learning methods, - curricula design, - training of school mediators, - employing more social workers, - setting up guidance and counseling, etc.

Statement: Education as a tool in the Roma inclusion policies Open-classroom methods, alternative ways of teaching can help to decrease early drop-out; Involvement of Roma experts in education reforms is essential. Teachers alone cannot face the accumulated responsibilities.

Statement: Education as a tool in the Roma inclusion policies Necessary: teachers’ professional development on Roma teachers should learn to teach Roma and/or multicultural classes, change of attitudes towards other cultural groups – via personal development courses

Statement: Education as a tool in the Roma inclusion policies Initial teacher education should involve Roma culture subjects in their curricula. Preparing young teachers for special education for Roma adults. Adult learning, especially long-term, continuous intergenerational learning must be improved.

Statement: Education as a tool in the Roma inclusion policies The role of social workers and school mediators dealing with the children’s families is essential. The strategies cannot place all responsibility and workload exclusively on schools and teachers. Campaigns for inclusive Roma education must address mutual understanding among both Roma and non-Roma parents and children.

Statement on Early School Leaving Teachers need to be prepared to tackle the violence and bullying among students; Teachers themselves are the target of the aggression, from students or from parents (hitting, shooting and killing of teachers by their students); Social, financial, educational and psychological support should also be provided for the teachers working with disadvantaged groups;

Statement on Early School Leaving Preventive measures are necessary to enable teachers to recognise atypical behaviour in time and to efficiently handle it. Education reforms for Roma inclusion should approach all the actors of the school environment.

ETUCE project: Developing non-discriminatory quality education for Roma children’ (Bulgaria, Slovakia and Hungary) Trade unions projects: - organising vocation-related workshops - cultural activities – non-formal education - organising short-term courses - Information activities aimed to change the negative image in the society and increase confidence of the Roma - Trade unions working with NGOs, parents associations

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Inclusion of the Roma

How could the teacher trade unions improve the integration of Roma via the VET sector? Please highlight the most important priorities of teacher trade unions: