European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)Brussels. Friday, 14 January 2011

Hearing on Education and Training:

tools for Roma integration

Fundación Secretariado GitanoIsidro Rodríguez

• Brief information on Spanish Roma Community

• Achievements and Inequalities in Education

• Contextual elements

• Current Initiatives• The Promociona program• Awareness-raising campaign

• Recommendations and proposals

Content

Spanish Roma community

• Social Inclusion of the Roma Community in Spain. Between citizenship and exclusion. Three decades of important achievements and process of profound changes.

• Roma population: 700.000. 62% under 29 years old.• Access to Rights. The welfare state has proven

inclusive towards Roma.• Specific and adapted measures aimed at Roma to

improve their living conditions.• But today, situations of poverty and exclusion

remain (FOESSA 2008 Report).• Discrimination and social rejection(CIS and FRA

Reports).

Spanish Roma community and education

The achievements...• 1986 General Law of Education: incorporation into public educational system. • Since 90´s: progressive incorporation of Roma children into primary school and pre-school education. Today more than 95% of Roma children are schooled.• Specific programs to support Roma schooling (National Roma Development Plan).• Good legislation on education, but weak implementation to address Roma needs.

Spanish Roma community and education

…AND INEQUALITIES.

• 70% over 16 years old have not finalised primary education. • High rate of absenteeism. •Lower educational achievement.•High drop out rates in secondary education: 80% of students that initiate secondary schooling do not finalise their studies. • Drop out rates higher among girls.

• Low rate of university studies (close to 1%)• Roma themes are not included in educational

curriculum.• Segregation in educational centres, in classroom.

Key factors in this situation

EDUCATION ADMINISTRATIONS…• Roma are neither on the agenda nor targeted in the objectives or reduction of early school dropout rates. • Progressive legislation that is not applied adequately for Roma.• Dispersion of administrative competences – national, regional levels…• Segregational measure in centres, classrooms, special groups.

FAMILIES … (AND BOYS AND GIRLS)• The function and usefulness of education beyond primary schooling.• Low participation in educational centres and the educational community.• Cultural elements: role of youth, role of girls. Education takes place at home.• Schools are often perceived as a hostile environment.• Peer pressure.

TEACHERS AND EDUCATIONAL CENTRES• Difficulties to provide adequate attention and support.• Scarce knowledge and low interaction with neighbourhoods and families.• Need for training adapted to the reality of the Roma and attention to diversity .• Ratios in centres that impede individualised support.

Initiatives: the action of the FSG

• 1980s. The Bridge Schools.• Support programmes for educational normalisation.• Bursary programmes.• Expert course for young Roma at the Public University of Navarra.•Research and studies on the educational situation of Roma students.• Basic Adult training for Roma.• Training and technical support for professionals in the socio-educational field and administrations.

OBJECTIVE: REDUCE EARLY SCHOOL DROPOUT during compulsory education.

Initiatives of educational support

ORIENTATION and accompaniment of families.

PROMOCIONA CLASSROOMS: High-quality support for homework.

ADVICE to teaching staff

Promociona programme

Data on implementation•10 regions•17 cities •19 PROMOCIONA CLASSROOMS

OBJECTIVE: Sensitising Roma families about the importance of education and raise awareness and involve public administrations to fight against inequality in educational matters.

When I grow up I want to be …

Campaign: When I grow up I want to be …

The photo-van (a mobile photography studio) has travelled throughout Spain, taking pictures of the dreams of Roma girls and boys.

Roma children and their dreams

Whatever your dream may be, finish Secondary school.

Roma with an education, Roma with a future

Parents too…

THE PHOTO-VAN IN NUMBERS:

1.100 families participated in the Photo-van in 2010

1.083 photos were taken

14 different cities en 2010

5.722 kilometres travelled

20 persons working simultaneously: FSG staff and voluntary workers, grassroots…

Conclusions, Recommendations1. Mainstreaming the education of the Roma community must be a priority on the agenda of the education authorities and of the departments responsible for the policies aimed at the Roma community.

2. Provision of necessary resources for a targeted programme aimed at educational achievement of Roma.

3.Measures to address situations of educational segregation.

4.European policies. Roma education at the heart of the Europe 2020 and Structural Funds regulations.

Thank you for your attention