Občanské sdružení Vzájemné soužití (Life together ) Education / obstacles in education of Roma children in the Czech Republic
Situation in Ostrava in 2013 - 5 years after the D.H. case decision made by the European court of human rights - the segregation of Roma children in Special Schools is illegal, and violates the child’s right to quality education • New term for schools • Special school (in the past) = Practical school (nowadays) 90% Roma pupils attend those schools
Roma pupils are still being discriminated at Czech schools • It is the ongoing practice to set up Roma and non - Roma classes (pressure from Czech parents,..) • A lot of pupils attend practical school since the first grade at element. school (age d 6 -7) • Hyperactivity = handicap • Pedagogical – psychological counselling (PPP) chosen by schools • Children placed to practical school instead of support (tutoring) • Roma/nowadays mostly non - Roma pedagogical assistant serving as a cheap labour (replacing teachers in case of their absences etc.)
Elementary practical schools = special curriculum • 90% Roma pupils at practical schools • School leaving exam (after 9th, compulsory grade) – information about the special curriculum • Core subjects (CJ, MAT) taught 4 lessons a week only, meanwhile PE or practical skills 4 - 5 times a week • Some schools are registered and known as ordinary school but have 2 different curricula (confusing) • Little chance to catch up at secondary schools or universities • Very low chance to success when looking for a job
Parents and their children ´ s education • Non - functioning/bad communication between parents and schools (distrust, prejudice,..) • Absence of knowledge of laws and parent ´ s rights • Insufficient campaigns/actions promoting the importance of education • Parents are unable to find out if school is common/practical (double curricula etc.), or understand the real differences and consequences • Parents are not able to connect education of their children at practical schools with low chances at the job market in the future (can not predict it)
Reasons for frequent absences of Roma children at schools, lower quality of their education • Parents do not have money for snacks, food for children at school (unemployed, on social benefits) • Children do not get ready for school, do not do homeworks (families often live in inadequate places – unsuitable conditions for learning) • Some parents think: my elder son attends practical school so the younger one will too (it is a problem for parents with more children to accompany them all to different, far away schools) • Parents do not attend parent ´ s meetings at schools (do not see the importance, do not trust school employees)
• Children and youths from isolated areas thus do not have needed support and motivation for their education within the family • Roma parents count on schools to take full responsibility for their children during school lessons, on the other side they do not often believe that school will be of any asset for their children. This demotivating parent ´ s attitude then influences their children ´ s attitude to school and education in a negative way, too • Demotivation of Roma toward education is also a result of their constant denial at the job market or they think that school can make their child more distant from them • Roma parents who themselves attended practical schools, are unable to help (tutor) their children
D.H. case participants • 18 children (parents nowadays), who fighted mainly for justice and better future for their children • Most are unemployed nowadays • Training? To have it for free, only through the job centre, possible employees require some practice, which they do not have • More about the DH case and others vs CR – later • Brochure
How Life together contributes to inclusive education/help children? Through constant (every day) support of school children (aged 6 to 18) in the form of individual/group tutoring, counselling in our 3 community centrech for children and youth located in 3 Roma excluded areas in Ostrava Through constant (every day) support of pre - school children and their mothers – practising all key competences for a succesful start at primary school, providing mothers with more competences, knowledge, confidence, independency, spreading this good practice among other local people Other projects
Community centres for children and youth Hrušov, Liščina, Zárubek • 3 centres in Roma areas in Ostrava • Open daily Mon – Fri (afternoon from 12 to 8pm) • Each has 50 – 80 children + youths (aged 6 - 18) • Their mission • support social inclusion and positive changes in way of life of children and youths endangered by some negative aspects ( drugs, alcohol, parent ´ s poverty, high crime rate, social exclusion) • Provide children with a safe and inspiring enviroment for senseful spending of their free time (lots of educational, preventional, fun activities )
• To provide children support so that they may be able to deal with difficult situations in their lives • To prevent possible adoption of socially risky behave patterns, way of life frequently seen in their surrounding, crime prevention, early pregnancy etc. • Development of complex and individual talent, skills (educational, social, practical) • Support in the field of education (tutoring, negotiating with school, pedag.assistants,..) • Doing events at schools – lectures, sport tournaments, promotion of our centres and services at schools, visits from schools to our centres ( common activities for all children)
• To provide children with equal chances in educ. • School grants, paying fees at ZUŠ, fundraising for talented children (school grants, paying the fee at art schools etc.) • To root in Roma children and youth regular school attendance and prepare for their future plans • Adapting basic work skills and habits (with older children) - acquiring more positive attitude to work, more independency and responsibility for the results of their work through various practical activities • To support parents to motivate their children to get proper education
Some of regular activities at our centres for children and youth • Hand work – e.g. Eucanistika, sewing, production of bracelets, wrist bands, ear rings, lamps, xmas decorations etc. • Dancing and musical – e.g. Hip hop groups • Sending talented kids to talent competitions etc.) • Regular sport activities (football, table tennis, gym, taking part in tournaments, international youth exchanges – e.g. We hosted young footballers from Kenya) • Craft – wood work (products from wood) • Hairdressing salon, manicure, art of decoration etc. • Tutoring (both individual and in groups) • Tea room for relax, solving problems etc.
Current projects in the field of inclusive education • 1 . Project DH commemorating 5th anniversary from the court decision, effort to change the ongiong practice, strengthen international, national and local advocacy for implementation of the DH decision and inclusive education in the Czech Rep. • 2 . Projects Little steps, I am a step forward aimed at parents/pre - school children, both getting new, key skills, competences • 3) Other projects supporting constant, regular school children tutoring and support
1 . DH project – Roma from Ostrava fight for their empowerment, for equal access to inclusive education , changing the existing practices (2 key actions – the march and the conference )
Group of Roma people in Ostrava came with this idea that it would be good to empower themselves, not to rely on the others, but to do something on their own. • At the 5th anniversary of the DH case court decision, where the ECHR concluded, that 18 (at that time) school children were denied access to proper education (children were placed to special schools) • 150 Roma people in Ostrava joined and realized a peaceful march to show they do care for their children ´ s education and its quality • The first public activity in this field from Roma parents after DH case • It has also proved Roma peole are able to organize themselves and fight for a common goal, that they will not be passive anymore
BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM •The Czech education system has historically excluded Romani children and children with disabilities from mainstream education and marginalized them in segregated “special” schools and classes. •The curriculum in these special schools and classes is substandard. The longer children remain in these classes, the harder it is to catch up with mainstream peers and have a chance at getting a decent education. •Such classes do not help children develop their talents and abilities to their fullest potential, for either Romani children or children with disabilities. • This system prepares these children for only the most menial jobs, and for many, diminishes their long term opportunities for emerging from cycles of poverty and exclusion.
Recommend
More recommend
