Strasbourg, 23 April 2013
CAHROM (2013)11 prov
AD HOC COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON ROMA ISSUES
(CAHROM)
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WRITTEN CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM CAHROM MEMBERS AND
OBSERVERS ON PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION OF ROMA CHILDREN
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contribution received from the CZECH REPUBLIC
Contribution received from GERMANY
Extracts from CAHROM thematic reports on (pre-school) education of Roma
Thematic report on school drop-out and absenteeism of Roma children
Thematic report on inclusive education of Roma vs. special schools
Thematic report on school attendance of Roma children (/girls)
Extracts from the OSCE-ODIHR report on “Participation of Roma and Sinti
children in early education processes within the OSCE region” page 2 page 3 page 5 page 5 page 6 page 10 page 12
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CONTRIBUTION RECEIVED FROM THE CZECH REPUBLIC
National strategies with measures to increase the educational opportunities of the Roma:
1) Concept of Roma Integration 2010–2013 (an follow up Concept/Strategy for the period 2014-
2020 is being prepared; based on the Framework of the EU for Roma Integration Strategies);
2) Strategy to Combat Social Exclusion 2011–2015 (currently under revision in the field of education);
3) National Action Plan for Inclusive Education 2010–2013 (“NAPIE”) (at this moment the
NAPIE is being incorporated into a newly prepared White Book – National Program for the
Development of Education in the Czech Republic)
4) Revision of the Czech Education Act No (561/2004), which shall ensure equal access to education to all children (dealing with pre-school enrolment of Roma children and their enrolment into primary education).
Under current Section 36(1) of Act No 561/2004 on preschool, primary, secondary, post-secondary vocational and other education, school attendance is compulsory for nine grades, but up to a maximum of the end of the school year in which the pupil reaches his seventeenth year of age. For this reason, the participation of Roma in primary education is high, although one of the problems that is associated with the education of Roma children from disadvantaged backgrounds is unexcused absence from school.
Preparatory classes are established in the Czech Republic as one of the forms of preschool education for socially disadvantaged children who are not adequately prepared to start compulsory education at primary school, most likely because they did not participate in long-term preschool preparation in nursery schools, and grew up in a socially disadvantaged environment where their parents were unable to provide adequate conditions to develop their skills. The number of preparatory classes in each region in 2011, also aggregated for the Czech Republic as a whole, and the number of socially disadvantaged pupils attending them, can be found below. Qualified expert estimates indicate that the vast majority of these children are Roma. The last year of preschool education (including the preparatory classes) is for free. When enrolling children into primary education the special pedagogic centre might also advice parents to postpone the enrolment by one year, and to enrol the child into the preparatory class.
Special counselling in education is provided to parents and children through school advisory facilities
(specifically, pedagogical and psychological counselling centres and special education centres), which should diagnose learning needs and propose measures for their fulfilment, explain the process for parents and children, and secure the informed consent of legal guardians and adults for the recommended education.
The network of these facilities in the Czech Republic is relatively well developed. However expert estimates show that, in tests of intelligence Roma children are 11 times more likely to appear in the zone of mild mental impairment compared to the overall incidence of mild mental impairment in the general population. There is no adequate justification as to why children associated with one ethnic minority, and, what is more, originating mostly in a single social class, stigmatized for their different looks and physique, constantly fail when it comes to education in mainstream schools.
The issue deriving from the last paragraph is recognized and the Ministry of Education is at this moment preparing the new Education act to be able to provide equal chances to quality education to all children, despite their social and cultural origin.
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CONTRIBUTION RECEIVED FROM GERMANY
Early education and language support measures in Germany
In Germany ECEC services are available for children aged zero to compulsory school age. Whereas zero- to two-year-old children can attend centre-based settings called Krippe, three- to six-year-old children attend centre-based settings called Kindergarten . Further, there are centre-based settings in which both age groups are cared for together, either in separate or in mixed-age groups. Children under the age of three are most frequently cared for by registered and publically subsidised childminders in the home of the childminder or in the child’s home. In Germany this home-based setting is called Kindertagespflege , i.e. family day care.
As to the overall approach to ECEC, Germany has traditionally adopted a ‘holistic’ approach in which education, care and upbringing are closely intertwined and considered inseparable. All ECEC services
(centre-based settings and publicly subsidised home-based settings) follow a curriculum, which reflects this holistic approach [see attached English translation of The Common Framework for Early
Education adopted by the federal states (
Länder
) in 2004]. The Common Framework describes the basic principles and goals for early childhood education and how pedagogical practice can support child development and learning in key areas (e.g. language, literacy, communication, mathematics, arts, music, etc.). These principles and practices are further specified and elaborated on in the 16 curricular frameworks of the federal states, which all emphasize the value of diversity and inclusive education.
Although ECEC enrolment is voluntary, the enrolment rates of children from 3 years to compulsory school age in publicly subsidised childcare centres and family day care are very high at 94% in 2011.
These high ECEC enrolment rates mirror the broad acceptance of ECEC services by parents. ECEC enrolment rates of children under three years are much lower at 51,1 % in 2012, even though
Germany has witnessed a rapid expansion of places for children under three in the last years (see attached graphs taken from the 14 th Children and Youth Report, 2013). Since 1996 parents have a legal right to a place in childcare centre or in publicly subsidised family day care for their three- to six-year-old child. From August 1, 2013, this legal right also applies to parents with a one- or twoyear-old child.
National surveys hint at the fact that ECEC enrolment is unevenly distributed according to socioeconomic criteria such as language background, ethnic background and parents’ income and educational level. In part this can be explained by the fact that so far, due to a shortage of places, priority of access is given to children of working parents. Costs for ECEC services for children aged zero to less than three are relatively high, so that in most places there are regulations in place which exempt low-income parents from fees.
Although there are no national initiatives to promote access for minority groups including Roma children, a variety of initiatives on the local level exist, e.g. multifunctional centres which aim to reach out to young children and families from underrepresented groups by offering a broad range of family support services (parenting programmes, etc.). We would also like to refer to the report by the government of the Federal Republic of Germany to the European Commission on the integration of
Sinti and Roma, which includes information on ECEC on the pages 30-34.
In Germany nationwide pre-school language support measures or language training -additive (1) and/or integrated (2) – are aimed at facilitating the integration of children from minority/disadvantaged groups. Both types are regulated by and implemented in all 16 federal states .
These language support measures are specifically targeted at children who are delayed in their acquisition of German. Most often language delays are observed in children who acquire German as a second or third language and do not systematically come in contact with German until attending
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Krippe or Kindergarten or even primary school, as well as in children who experience less differentiated linguistic input in their homes.
(1) Additive language support measures are implemented in 13 federal states and are generally compulsory for those children who displayed low scores in the statutorily regulated language assessment tests. These language assessment tests are usually part of the school entry examination.
Every federal state employs a different instrument to assess children’s language abilities. In sum 17 different standardised and non-standardised instruments (incl. observation instruments, screenings, tests) focusing on different aspects of language are employed.
Additive language training takes places as part of a state-specific language programme. Within the framework of the language programme every federal state recommends materials and methods for supporting children’s acquisition of German, in some cases the recommended materials and methods have to be implemented on a binding basis. While the majority of the federal states provide ECEC services with more general guidelines for language training, some federal states reinforce the implementation of more target-oriented materials and methods with which ECEC practitioners can assist children in the acquisition of certain areas of language (e.g. grammar or vocabulary).
Most commonly, ECEC practitioners with an additional qualification carry out additive language training. Depending on the federal state language training takes plac e once or more times a week in small groups, for a period of three to 18 months in the last year before school, either in the pre-school settings or in primary school ( Grundschule ).
(2) Integrated language support measures: All 16 federal states committed themselves to integrated language support as part of their holistic approach to supporting children’s development and learning
(cf. The Common Framework for Early Education, 2004 and National Integration Plan, 2007).
Integrated language support measures - either based on a specific concept or implemented in more intuitive ways - are embedded in the everyday practices and routines of kindergarten life. The national initiative of the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women & Youth (BMFSFJ) is currently promoting the expansion of integrated language support by providing ECEC practitioners in
4.000 childcare centres with the necessary resources and relevant competencies to support children in their acquisition of German 1 .
List of documents enclosed:
Description of The Common Framework for Early Education translated into English
(ECEC in Germany_A Common Framework for Early Education pp. 14 -21_Split
Responsibility, decentralisation and subsidiarity pp. 28 -33_2006);
Children under three years in childcare centres and publicly subsidised family day care_2006 and 2012_14th Children and Youth Report A10-5 2013 ( 14. Kinder- und
Jugendbericht 2013 );
Children aged three to fewer than six years in childcare centres and publicly subsidised family day care & children under six years in (pre-) schools_2006 and 2011_14th
Children and Youth Report A10-7 ( 14. Kinder- und Jugendbericht 2013 );
ECEC enrolment rates of children with or without an immigrant background_2009 and
2010_14th Children and Youth Report A10-8 2013 ( 14. Kinder- und Jugendbericht
2013 ).
Government Report on Integration and Support measures for Sinti and Roma (2011) .
ECEC in Germany_A Children under three Children aged three ECEC enrolment Report by the to under six years in childcare centres and publicly subsidised family day care children under six years in (pre-)schools_2006 and .pdf
1 See website of the national initiative: Offensive Frühe Chancen: Schwerpunkt-Kitas Sprache & Integration at http://www.fruehe-chancen.de/informationen_fuer/spk/offensive_fruehe_chancen/dok/1012.php
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EXTRACTS FROM CAHROM THEMATIC REPORTS RELATED TO EDUCATION OF
ROMA AND PRE-SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR
CAHROM (2012)6 Thematic report on school drop-out and absenteeism of Roma children
Requesting country: the Netherlands;
Partner countries: Hungary, Spain, and Sweden
NETHERLANDS
The Dutch Compulsory Education Act is applicable to all children with or without Dutch nationality, refugees or illegally entered individuals who are of school age. Education is compulsory for children between 5 and 18 years old.
Municipalities are responsible for enforcing the law and employ school attendance officers to ensure compliance with this requirement. Parents bear primary responsibility for complying with the
Compulsory Education Act, i.e. for enrolling their children into school and for ensuring their daily presence at school.
In the Netherlands, a compensatory policy is in place for disadvantaged primary school pupils.
Municipalities receive €.260 million in government funds for this purpose every year. They are required to use these funds to finance pre-school education , bridging classes and summer school, and have the option of organizing other activities aimed at improving children’s language skills. Over the course of the next few years, an additional €.100 million will be invested in pre-school education, bridging classes and summer schools.
HUNGARY
In Hungary, the forms, content and framework of the kindergarten and school education of the Roma minority are regulated in the decrees on kindergarten education of national and ethnic minorities and on school education of national and ethnic minorities.
The purpose of kindergarten education is to prepare children for a successful entry into the school system by consciously building on the differences and similarities between the Roma culture and the majority culture.
In 2003, a Pre-school programme was designed in Hungary to increase pre-school attendance of multi-disadvantaged children. In 2009 extra financial support was given to multi-disadvantaged children if parents enrol their children in pre-school at the age of three.
SPAIN
An awareness-raising campaign for (pre-) school enrolment is being developed. Spain provides a good example with the awareness raising campaign “De mayor quiero ser…” (When I grow up, I want to be…), launched in Madrid on the 30th of September 2010 by Fundación Secretariado Gitano
(FSG) to promote Roma education among Roma parents as a key aspect of social inclusion.
SWEDEN
In Sweden, compulsory schooling lasts for nine years and children have a right to education from the age of seven. The aim of compulsory school education is to provide all pupils with the knowledge and skills they need to participate in social life and in continued education. Special support is given to pupils who have difficulties with school work. Attending school is free of charge, although minor amounts may be charged for one-off activities.
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The responsibility for the student to fulfill their compulsory schooling relies with several parties. The municipality should ensure that the students in primary education and with basic learning disabilities attend school. Anyone with custody of a child of school age shall ensure that the child fulfills their compulsory schooling. If a student does not attend school because the pupil's guardian has not done what he is required to ensure this, the municipality shall oblige the pupil's guardian to fulfill their obligations. A compliance order may be combined with a penalty.
• The pre-school system in Sweden
In Sweden, the pre-school system is intended for children from the age of one until they start compulsory education. The purpose of pre-school is to stimulate children's development and learning in a secure and caring environment. Pre-school takes a holistic view of children and their needs and is designed so that care, development and learning come together to form a whole.
The pre-school class is a voluntary form of school within the state school system. Municipalities are required to offer children places in pre-school classes from the autumn term of the year in which a child turns six until the child starts his/her compulsory schooling. Today approximately 96 per cent of all six-year-olds go to pre-school classes. The aim of education in pre-school classes is to stimulate pupils development and learning and to prepare them for their future school career.
CAHROM (2012)18 Thematic report on inclusive education of Roma vs. special schools
Requesting countries: the Czech Republic and Slovakia;
Partner countries: Hungary, Slovenia and the United Kingdom
In the above mentioned thematic report, the following conclusions were made as regards pre-school:
• pre-school education as an important factor for success should be promoted;
•
• where needed, infrastructure and facilities should be increased; develop teaching plans and programmes for the primary “zero/preparatory class” in order to speed up the children’s development for one year so that they could join the first primary
• class at the end of this preliminary year (see good practice of the State Pedagogical Institute
(SPU) in Bratislava between January 2000 and June 2003 in the Council of Europe database on policies and good practices); develop a network of early care services to prevent the educational failure of Roma children from socio-culturally disadvantaged backgrounds (good practice in the Czech Republic).
The information bellows is a compilation of what the requesting countries (Czech Republic and
Slovakia) and the partner countries (Slovenia, Hungary and United Kingdom) have expressed to the group of experts.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Compulsory pre-school education is a valid option in theory. The last year of pre-school is free of charge and the school is obliged to enrol any children in this last preschool year.
However, this is not systematically implemented because Czech parents (and Roma parents too) consider the decision whether to send the child to pre-school or not as their own right. Many parents prefer to prolong the last pre-school year to two years (the child then starts compulsory education at the age of 7 instead of 6). There is a rather strong opposition in the Czech society, including at the level of the political spectrum, for enrolling children too early in pre-school. Among the Czech Roma population, 48% of individuals over 5 have never attended pre-school facilities (kindergarten or preparatory years). If one specifically looks at Roma children from socially excluded localities, approximately 52% of them have no pre-school preparation.
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Unlike in other countries involved in the thematic group, the question of pre-school facilities is not considered as a critical issue in the Czech Republic.
As a whole the number of children enrolled in pre-school is 94%. However, the distribution of facilities is highly unequal. Bigger towns and cities experience lack of places in public kindergartens and parents therefore have to pay substantial amounts to place the child into private kindergarten. Roma families are nearly completely excluded from pre-school education.
Under the framework of the Roma Integration Concept of the Czech Government for 2010–2013, the
Government has proposed the development of a network of early care services to prevent the educational failure of Roma children from socio-culturally disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Government’ aim is to make available early care activities to families living in socio-culturally disadvantaged environments. Measures targeted at Roma children of pre-school age are based on the
Concept of In-Time Care for Children from Socio-Culturally Disadvantaged Environments prepared by the Ministry of Education. One of the envisaged actions is to increase the accessibility and interlinking of early care services at local level in all required socially excluded Roma localities.
For children from 0 to 6, there should be social activation services for families with children, whose activity should be linked to the activities of schools advisory centres. By means of these services there should be development of parental skills so that the parents are able to successfully arrange for the development of their children's potential, thus easing their entry into compulsory school attendance.
During the thematic visit, the representative of the Ministry of Education orally presented to the
CAHROM thematic group of experts the main measures foreseen in the consolidated action plan that is currently being prepared for submission to the Committee of Ministers in the context of their supervision of the implementation of the ECtHR judgement in D.H. and Others v. the Czech Republic during the period 2013-2017, and, concerning pre-school education, he stressed that one priority is to modify the Education Act so as to generalize pre-school education for Roma children as from the age of three and to have it financed through the regions. So far the only last year of preschool can be funded by local authorities (it is an obligation). Preparatory classes or nursery school, however, should not be established in practical schools as it could serve as a recruitment factor for such schools.
SLOVAKIA
There is a large gap in pre-school access. Roma children are much more likely to be streamed into special schools for mentally disabled children or into special classes in regular schools, and rates of secondary school completion and performance on standardized tests are much lower.
In January 2012, the Government of the Slovak Republic adopted the National Roma Integration
Strategy (NRIS) of the Slovak Republic up to 2020. The main policy areas formulated in the National
Roma Integration Strategy in the field of Education are, among others, to facilitate the access to schools with good-quality standard education. That should be provided for everyone, including preschool, primary, secondary and higher education.
The Slovak system of education needs a comprehensive reform. Measures foreseen by the Slovak authorities under their Roma national strategy mainly rely on the increasing the enrolment of
MRC/SDE (MRD stands for “marginalized Roma communities” and RDC for “socially disadvantaged environment”) children aged 3 years and over in pre-school facilities (this includes a significant investment into pre-primary education of MRC/SDE children along with supporting early childhood care programmes).
When it comes to Roma education, the present system of no pre-school education combined with streaming Roma children to special schools or classes is a “lose-lose proposition” fails and there is no investment in Roma education, considering which a large numbers of Roma dooms to unemployment or extremely low-paying jobs and deprives the Government of substantial fiscal revenues.
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Among the Slovak Roma population, 48% of individuals over 5 have never attended pre-school facilities.
According to the UNDP 2011 Regional Survey on Marginalized Roma, 18 % of Roma children aged
3-6 were enrolled in pre-primary education (boys – 20 %; girls 14 %) in the school year 2010/2011.
As a point of comparison, the average for the general population was 72 % (school year 2008/2009).
According to the latest figures, 28% of Roma children aged 3-6 are enrolled in pre-school, which is still far below the average for the general population.
The main obstacle for a higher enrolment rate of the Roma children in kindergartens are the missing personal and infrastructural capacities – pre-school education is financed almost exclusively (with the exception of last grade before entering the primary education) through municipalities and parent fees.
Even if the children, whose parents are in material/social need, do not have to pay these fees (which can amount to more than 50€ monthly for a child), the kindergarten is not even for them completely for free - kindergarten trips, additional leisure activities, like kindergarten clubs, fruit days, hygienic materials, kindergarten courses are paid extra.
Besides infrastructural and financial obstacles, low enrolment rates among Roma kinds are to a high degree caused by distance issues and lack of information on the side of Roma parents – this could be diminished by providing more jobs for (Roma) teaching assistants and creating positions for Roma mediators.
There is a need for a significant investment and a massive increase of SDE children aged 3 years and over in pre-school facilities/pre-primary education, along with supporting early childhood careprogrammes.
HUNGARY
According to human rights monitoring bodies’ reports, segregation could and, to a lesser extent, still does take various forms. It started with limited access for Roma children to pre-school education
(kindergarten level) due to a lack of kindergarten in areas with large Roma population and restrictive enrolment policies by a number of kindergartens.
In Hungary families that send their children to school receive additional social benefits (incentives) called “pre-school benefits”. A problem encountered in Hungary in the implementation of this measure is the lack of pre-school infrastructure.
In practice, Roma children have limited access to pre-school education (kindergarten level) due to a lack of kindergarten in areas with large Roma population and restrictive enrolment policies by a number of kindergartens. Many Roma pupils consequently start school later (8 and beyond) than children from the majority population (6 or 7).
Among the Hungarian Roma population, 30% of individuals over 5 have never attended pre-school facilities.
SLOVENIA
There is a trend to close down special schools and to integrate children in the general system. Special units or departments exist within mainstream pre-school institutions and elementary schools implement adjusted and special programmes for children with special needs. The majority of children with special needs are therefore included in mainstream pre-school institutions and schools, which adjust the implementation of the programme and offer additional help. This combination of both models provides better qualitative results. In the school year 2009/2010, there were 0.9% of such children in pre-school institutions, 4.5% in elementary schools and 3.18% in secondary schools.
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According to the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, adjusted programmes in mainstream pre-school institutions were conducted in 36 development departments in the school year 2009/2010, and included 0.3% of children.
There are specific support measures for the education of children from less favourable social and economic environments (in schools generally, not as special incentives to place children in special schools):
• Children, whose parents submit certificate about vulnerability due to the social situation of
• the family to a social work centre, have an advantage for admission to the pre-school institutions.
The counselling service in a pre-school institution or school assists in searching and providing possible forms of support and assistance to the child’s, pupil’s or student’s family (e.g. assistance in seeking for scholarships, the programme for overcoming financial difficulties, the organisation of studying space in schools, assistance in ensuring textbooks and school supplies, the organization and coordination of additional assistance to students whose parents are unable to offer help etc.).
• Pre-school institutions and schools cooperate with the relevant social work centre.
The Project “Increasing the Social and Cultural Capital in Areas Populated by Members of the Roma
Community” has started on 1 June 2010 and will finish at the end of August 2013. Its emphasis is placed on the development and implementation of various models and concepts of pre-school education of Roma children , the organisation of learning assistance for Roma pupils and secondary school students with the aim of raising the quality of learning and school performance, understanding, encouraging motivation and active self-managed learning. The project is carried out by the Institute for Ethnic Studies.
Other measures to enhance Roma cultural and social potential have been co-financed from the ESF, for instance the development of various methods of pre-school education and inclusion of children in different forms of pre-school education, carried out by the project “The Increase in Social and
Cultural Capital in Areas with Roma Population”, co-ordinated by the Institute for Ethnic Studies.
In order to ensure better education to Roma people, the Strategy of Education of Roma in the
Republic of Slovenia was adopted in 2004 and revised in 2011. The Strategy was prepared in close collaboration with the Romani Union of Slovenia. The Strategy is based on priority areas, such as:
•
Inclusion of Roma assistants in the educational process;
•
Early inclusion in educational processes (setting up conditions for inclusion in pre-school education);
Among the specific support measures for the education of Roma community members, the following can be mentioned:
•
A supplement to the curriculum for pre-school institutions working with Roma children and
•
• instructions for the implementation of the elementary school programme for Roma children were approved.
The child-adult ratio pre-schools groups including Roma children is more favourable (1st age period - 4 children per 1 adult, 2nd age period - 7 children per 1 adult).
Within the framework of a special project, Roma assistants are employed in pre-school institutions and schools, who are typically members of the Roma community and who help children to overcome the emotional and linguistic barriers and bridge the gap between a preschool institution and school and the Roma community.
In Slovenia there is a Commission for Placement, that decides on the placement of children in a programme and integration into a pre-school institution or school as well as on the necessary adjustments of the education programme, the scope, type and manner of the implementation of additional professional or physical assistance and possible other rights (e.g. free transport, adjusted equipment etc.).
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In Slovenia, as a whole, 75% of children attend pre-school. The Government has now for objective to enrol as many children as possible from 1 to 3 years old. An incentive was introduced for families with multiple children. Pre-school education was supposed to be provided for free for the 2nd child. It resulted in a baby boom. However, due to the economic crisis, this measure can no longer be implemented and parents have to cover partly the costs.
One of the main goals of both the National Programme of Measures for Roma of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for the Period 2010–2015 and the Strategy for Education of the Roma in
Slovenia is to increase the inclusion and attendance of Roma children in pre-school educational programmes (kindergartens or other forms of pre-school education) at least two years before the beginning of elementary school, i.e. at the age of 4 at the latest.
The idea behind this early inclusion is enhancing language skills (of both Roma and Slovenian languages) and socialisation of Roma children within an educational institution capable of providing experiences and patterns that will enable easier inclusion in the school environment.
The measure is implemented by the Ministry of Education and Sport under the project “Increasing the
Social and Cultural Capital in Areas Populated by Members of the Roma Community”. It has been financed since 2010 by the European Social Fund (3,562,000 Euros). In the context of this Project, another activity consists on the establishment of day centres (Roma Education Incubators) where the following activities are carried out: social activities and workshops for pre-school and school children and their parents; homework and study help; workshops for parents in social topics of interest.
UNITED KINGDOM
Pre-school education should be an option. In England pupils are entitled to 15 hours free pre-school education from the age of 3. This can be in nursery schools attached to mainstream schools or in
Children’s Centres. For pupils from a disadvantaged background pupils can access this 15 hours free from aged 2 and a half. All children can start mainstream school from the month of September of the academic year in which they reach the age of 5. Furthermore, schooling is compulsory from the term they turn 5.
CAHROM (2013)5 Thematic report on school attendance of Roma children (/girls)
Requesting country: Finland;
Partner countries: Latvia, Norway, and Sweden
FINLAND
School attendance of Roma children does not differ according to gender at preschool level (voluntary, age of 6) and for basic education (1-6 grades). A difference is noted as from the 7-9 grades and this difference of behaviour as regards school attendance is often explained by cultural factors.
In Finland the percentage of Roma children who not complete compulsory education is 19%, for both boys and girls. It is estimated that 4, 7 % of all Roma pupils dropped out altogether. No difference of girls and boys has been noticed in terms of complete drop-out.
According to information provided by school principals to a survey conducted for the school year
2010-2011, at least three in every five Roma children takes part in pre-primary education .
Participation has significantly increased during the last ten years. Pre-primary education is associated with irregular attendance . According to the school principals, repeating pre-primary education is therefore common among Roma pupils.
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The first Finnish National Policy on Roma has been prepared in 2009 by the National Advisory Board on Romani Affairs on behalf of the Finnish Government.
The general objective is that Finland will be a forerunner among European countries in promoting the inclusion of Roma by 2017.
The specific objectives are to provide Guidelines to all administrative sectors for the implementation of activities , as well as Guidelines also to the activities of the National Board of
Education and especially to the Roma Education Group.
One of the main key objectives in the Finnish National Policy on Roma as regards education is to enhance the participation of Roma children in early childhood and pre-primary education.
During the visit in Helsinki, the Finnish National Board of Education presented the new Strategy for Special Needs Education in Comprehensive Education, based on the support for learning and school attendance. This is a new long-term strategy for the development of pre-primary and basic special education that has required changes in the Basic Education Act , as well as in the National
Curricula for Pre-primary and Basic Education.
LATVIA
One of the main obstacles and problems in Roma children’s education is the unpreparedness of
Roma children for starting primary school compared with other children (very few Roma children attend pre-school). Language difficulties in the beginning of the school studies (Roma children are able to communicate only in their own language (Romani) is as well one of the obstacles.
Different measures have been developed in accordance with the European Union, Council of Europe and other international instruments and legislative acts binding on Latvia. These have also been inspired by Recommendations of the study “Roma rights to education: implementing the situation in
Latvia”. According to this study, the main challenges for Roma integration in the area of education are as follows:
• To maintain a dialogue with the parents of Roma children, to support and involve them in the education process by explaining the importance of education;
•
To foster the improvement of socio-economic conditions for Roma children in preparation for primary school;
Preschool education is under the responsibility of municipalities.
Since 2002, education of 5-6 years old children is obligatory. In the democratic, multicultural society every child has the right to equal quality education.
NORWAY
Of the 700 Norwegian Roma, approximately 200 are assumed to have permanent residence abroad.
Many Roma in Norway indeed define travelling as part of their culture and way of life, and feel travelling to be closely bound up with their identity. In 2008 scientist Torbjørg Bay mapped over 600
Roma individuals in Oslo. Similar mappings were conducted in 2009 and 2012. Results show that:
•
• approximately 116 children (70%) are of pre-school age , of which 35 are abroad; approximately 105 children (70%) are of primary school age, of which 31 are abroad;
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OSCE-ODIHR REPORT ON PARTICIPATION OF ROMA AND SINTI CHILDREN IN
EARLY EDUCATION PROCESSES WITHIN THE OSCE REGION
The study “ Mapping of participation of Roma and Sinti children in early education processes within the OSCE region ” has been done in November of 2010 and resumes the access of Roma children to early education ( http://www.osce.org/odihr/73874 ).
Concerning the general enrolment and participation rate (pag 24), it was calculated based on State responses regarding the total number of eligible children, and the total number of children enrolled in early education, including compulsory “zero” class.
There is a high variation in the reported enrolment rates of eligible children in early education, from a low of 12.2 per cent in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to 100 per cent in France (The average time spent by a child in early education is three years).
With respect to enrolment rates, there are four groups of countries:
1) Countries with a quasi-totality of eligible children enrolled in early education: Belgium,
France, Poland, Sweden;
2) Countries with a high enrolment rate in early education: Norway, Greece, Hungary, Romania;
3) Countries with a moderate enrolment rate in early education: Croatia, Estonia;
4) Countries with a low enrolment rate in early education: Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Turkey,
“the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” and Serbia.
The following obstacles were identified by both State and NGO representatives:
A low level of awareness among Roma parents regarding the importance of early education;
Lack of interest among Roma parents in enrolling their children and ensuring they attend early education institutions regularly;
Parental unemployment and the poor economic condition of Roma families, making it difficult to enrol and ensure regular attendance of their children in early education;
Distrust of Roma families towards the authorities and public services;
Deprived Roma community environments (marginalized/illegal settlements without adequate infrastructure);
Roma children's poor skills in using the majority language
As main recommendations (pag 29) , the OSCE participating States should:
Further strengthen efforts to implement the 2003 OSCE Action Plan on Improving the
Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area and the subsequent Helsinki Ministerial
Council Decision No. 6/08 and Athens Ministerial Council Decision 8/09 in particular those commitments aiming to enhance equal access to quality education for Roma and Sinti.
Step up efforts to improve Roma and Sinti children's access to early education through the long-term, systemic approaches (national policies with clear goals, regulations, quality standards and funding commitments) necessary to ensure sustainable change, as well as affirmative action measures.
Regularly collect statistical data on the enrolment and participation of Roma and Sinti children in early education.
Regularly monitor and assess the effectiveness of the implemented programs, with the involvement of Roma and Sinti parents and communities.
Consider amending selection criteria that can have an indirectly discriminatory effect on
Roma and Sinti. Make early education equally accessible to economically disadvantaged
Roma and Sinti families. Facilitate procedures around enrolment requirements, i.e., for obtaining birth and health certificates, compulsory vaccinations, etc.
Increase efforts to raise Roma and Sinti communities’ awareness, particularly targeting parents, of the importance and benefits of early education by proactively reaching out to families.
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Sensitize the authorities responsible for providing early education services to the rights of all children to develop their full potential and, therefore, to the importance of ensuring that Roma and Sinti children have equal access to early education. Ensure the close involvement of
Roma and Sinti parents in the process of their children's education. Early education institutions should strengthen their ties to Roma and Sinti parents and communities.
Strengthen educators' abilities and skills through pre- and in-service training so that they are able to work in diverse multicultural settings and create supportive learning environments for
Roma and Sinti children.
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