Roma in the Czech Republic: Education

 

1. INTRODUCTION

This report on education is one of several prepared by the Research Directorate on the situation of Roma in the Czech Republic. Previous reports include Issue Papers published in November 1997 entitled Roma in the Czech Republic: State Protection and Roma in the Czech Republic: Identity and Culture. This report on education follows two weeks of personal interviews conducted by the Research Directorate with Romani leaders, governmental and non-governmental representatives in the Czech Republic in September and October 1997. Information on most of the persons and organizations cited in this paper is included in the Notes on Selected Sources section. The information contained in this report is taken primarily from these interviews and from documentary information provided to the Research Directorate during these interviews. Because of the need to make the information from these interviews available as quickly as possible, other documentary sources generally consulted by the Research Directorate in preparing its reports have not been researched for this paper. Additional reports also based on these interviews will focus on issues such as citizenship, internal flight alternatives and extremist groups.

2. THE CZECH EDUCATION SYSTEM

According to the Czech Ministry of Education, school attendance is compulsory for all children 6 to 15 years of age (30 Sept. 1997; ERRC 24 Sept. 1997). Basic schooling consists of a primary level for children between the ages of 6 and 11 and a secondary level for children between the ages of 11 and 15 (Ministry of Education 30 Sept. 1997). High School, or secondary school, is for children 15 to 18 years of age and can be 2, 3 or 4 years in duration (ibid.). In areas with a high concentration of Romani children, basic schools have a special syllabus designed to assist teachers in dealing with Romani children (ibid.).

The Czech Republic has a complementary special school system that runs parallel to the regular school system (Ministry of Education 30 Sept. 1997). "The status of special schools within the Czech education system is established by a revised version of the Law on the Structure of Basic Schools, Secondary Schools and Technical Schools …., Law 258/1996" (ERRC Aug. 1997). Special schools were conceived for children who have mental difficulties or handicaps and provide mentally challenged children 6 to 15 years of age with schooling for the years of compulsory school attendance (Ministry of Education 30 Sept. 1997). Special secondary schools operate for students from special basic schools who wish to continue their studies (ibid.). Special secondary or vocational schools, according to the Ministry of Education, offer graduates of special schools the opportunity to learn skills, apprentice and receive practical job training (ibid.).                 According to a Prague-based researcher with the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), the diploma awarded to students who complete special basic schools is not of a level that would allow a student to continue his or her studies in a regular secondary school (24 Sept. 1997). Children that complete special schools successfully can go on to "technical training centres" where a student can learn skills and may be trained to enter the job market as a semi-skilled labourer, such as a hospital auxiliary (ibid.). The researcher also states that an individual not in possession of a basic school diploma is essentially unemployable; the only job opportunities available would be in the cheap unskilled labour market (ibid.). According to the Brno-based Romani leader Karel Holomek, children that enter special schools are "educationally handicapped" for their entire lives, only eligible to perform unskilled labour jobs (24 Sept. 1997). According to an editorial note in a Central Europe Online interview with Marta Tulejova, a representative of the Czech NGO HOST, "virtually all of the children [placed in special schools] are forever locked out of the regular school system" (23 Sept. 1997). However, the Ministry notes that it is possible for a child that graduates from a special school to go on to a regular secondary school if they pass entry examinations and "take a special course open to special school graduates" (ibid.). This course is reportedly available to students who have been placed in special schools not because of mental handicap but for social or cultural handicaps, or because it was more comfortable for the family (ibid.). The Ministry spokesperson noted, however, that the majority of children in special schools are "mentally inept" and therefore not able to continue their studies (ibid.). According to the head mistress of a regular high school in Moravia cited in Laura Conway's 1996 report, "‘[Roma] can only go to Worker Schools … Theoretically, the kids could go to normal high school, but it doesn't happen, it is impossible for them'" (Mar. 1996, 37).

According to the ERRC researcher, there is information on xenophobia and some information on racism in school syllabuses, particularly in the Civic or Civil Studies classes (24 Sept. 1997). This class teaches about Martin Luther King, for example, but provides no information on the Roma (ibid.). The New School Foundation believes that there is a lack of will in society for multicultural training or education (25 Sept. 1997). The Ministry of Education states that the promotion of multiculturalism does not exist in the Czech school system as a particular tolerance discipline, for example, but it is reflected in all aspects of school life (30 Sept. 1997). Multiculturalism and tolerance education are part of certain subjects, such as Civics and foreign languages (ibid.). Ondrej Gina, a Rokycany-based Romani leader, reports that the government has spoken of the need for multiculturalism programmes, but nothing has been implemented in practice (26 Sept. 1997). According to Gina, NGOs do most of the work promoting tolerance and multiculturalism in society (ibid.).

3. ROMA AND THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

According to a March 1996 report by Laura Conway entitled Report on the Status of Romani Education in the Czech Republic, 1 per cent of Romani men and 0.9 per cent of Romani women had received some middle or secondary school education in 1991 (37). Although these figures are taken from the 1991 Czech census, which vastly underestimates the real number of Roma in the Czech Republic, percentage figures for education are believed to be more or less proportionally accurate (ibid.; Miklusakova 22 Sept. 1997; New School 25 Sept. 1997). The New School Foundation[1]1, a Czech NGO that promotes multiculturalism and tolerance through education, reports that the actual figures may be slightly better than those indicated in the census (ibid.). Citing a 1993 report, Conway indicates that 2.5 per cent of Romani children enter secondary school; this figure reportedly includes vocational technical schools and regular secondary schools (Mar. 1996, 37). Karel Holomek knows of only ten Romani university graduates in the country (24 Sept. 1997). A 1996 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report indicates that less than two per cent of Roma have completed secondary school or university (1996, 38). An October 1997 The Prague Post article states that two per cent of Czech Roma have tertiary education, while approximately six per cent have a secondary school level education (28 Oct. 1997).

             While Czech law recognizes the right of minorities to receive education in their own language, Romani language education is not offered in the Czech Republic (Ministry of Education 30 Sept. 1997; also The Prague Post 27 Aug. 1997). According to the Ministry of Education, the difficulty in implementing Romani instruction is partly because there is not one uniform Romani language in the Czech Republic, coupled with the fact that the Roma are not interested in being taught in their own language (30 Sept. 1997). Despite this, in areas of high concentrations of Roma, such as in Prague 3 and Chanov (near Most) teachers train in the basics of Romani (ibid.). According to the Ministry, there are only one or two trainers capable of training teachers in the Romani language (ibid.).

Romani leaders, educational NGOs and human rights advocates indicate that Romani children make up between 60 and 95 per cent of the student population of special schools (Miklusakova 22 Sept. 1997; Holomek 24 Sept. 1997; ERRC 24 Sept. 1997; New School 25 Sept. 1997; Conway Mar. 1996, 13;CEO 23 Sept. 1997). According to Ondrej Gina, 40-50 per cent of all Romani children who start their first year of school are relocated to special schools (26 Sept. 1997). Czech journalist Petr Uhl and the New School Foundation state that as many as 80 per cent of all Romani children are placed in special schools (Uhl 27 Sept. 1997; New School Foundation 25 Sept. 1997). A representative of the New School Foundation states that one would find "hardly any" Romani children between the ages of 10 and 14 in mainstream basic schools (ibid.). Karel Holomek believes that at least 40 per cent of all Romani children are placed into special schools (24 Sept. 1997). The ERRC researcher believes that at least 50 per cent of all Roma finish their legally required education in a special school (24 Sept. 1997). The Ministry of Education acknowledges that "quite a large number of Romani students go to special schools" (30 Sept. 1997). A 29 October 1997 government report on the status of the Czech Republic's Romani minority states that the placement of Romani children into special schools is a "prevailing practice which has led to excessive numbers of Roma children placed in special schools without any conclusive evidence as to their intellectual and learning capacity" (Government of the Czech Republic 29 Oct. 1997).

        According to the ERRC researcher, the placing of Romani children into special schools is an "extremely systemic problem" and Romani children are being educated in a segregated manner which leads to dramatically diminished opportunities in life (24 Sept. 1997; also CEO 23 Sept. 1997). Furthermore, in the opinion of the researcher, the government has shown no effort to address this problem (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997). Ondrej Gina also believes that the Czech government has shown little commitment to solve the Romani education problems (26 Sept. 1997). The New School foundation states that placing Romani children in special schools segregates the students and forces them into a situation from which there is "no way out" (25 Sept. 1997).

The ERRC researcher believes that no individual is to blame for the fact that so many Romani children are placed in special schools; rather it is Czech society at large that is failing to educate Romani children (24 Sept. 1997). Czech society is failing to protect Romani children from racism at school and failing to educate Romani parents on the importance of education (ibid.). In theory, the procedure which governs sending children to special schools is colour blind, however, since at least 50 per cent of all Romani children are sent to special schools, the researcher maintains that something must be "horribly wrong" with the system (ibid.).

4. THE SPECIAL SCHOOL SYSTEM

The following steps and procedures are taken before a child is sent to a special basic school:

·               A number of individuals can make an initial recommendation that a child be sent or transferred to a special school (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997; Ministry of Education 30 Sept. 1997). These individuals include social workers, teachers, school directors, parents, psychiatrists, psychologists, legal guardians etc. (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997). A child can be sent to a special school before beginning his or her first year of school, or at a point later in the child's education (ibid.).

·               Once an initial recommendation has been made, it is forwarded to a local educational psychologist who is tasked with gathering as much information as possible about the child from all sources (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997). The psychologist also applies an intelligence test to the child (ibid.; Ministry of Education 30 Sept. 1997).

·               The psychologist then makes a recommendation regarding the placement of the child (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997; Ministry of Education 30 Sept. 1997).

·               The final decision on the child's placement rests with the director of the target (special) school (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997). The Ministry of Education indicates that the "mother school" of the child must consent to the transfer (30 Sept. 1997).

·               By law the consent of the child's parents is required before sending a child to a special school (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997; Ministry of Education 30 Sept. 1997).

According to the ERRC researcher, most Romani children are recommended for placement in special schools before entering the school system or immediately after beginning their first year, and therefore the children being tested are approximately six years old (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997; also CEO 23 Sept. 1997). According to an editorial note in a 23 September 1997 Central Europe Online article, "by the age of six, many Romani children are consigned to a lifetime of limited education, and a future of manual labour" (ibid.).The ERRC researcher also indicates that the intelligence tests are linguistically orientated and do not take into account an individual's linguistic or cultural background (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997; also The Prague Post 27 Aug. 1997). The Ministry of Education acknowledges that the social, linguistic and cultural backgrounds of Romani children are not sufficiently taken into account during psychological and pedagogical examinations and that the tests do not take into account the particularities of minority groups (30 Sept. 1997). The Ministry is currently preparing modifications of the test to better address this situation (ibid.).

             Special schools are perceived by society in general, and by many teachers, as "Gypsy schools" (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997; Conway Mar. 1996, 14). According to the ERRC researcher, upon discovering that they have a Romani child in their class, many teachers in basic schools immediately begin to consider options of how to transfer the child to a special school; this is not necessarily an issue of racism but a reflection of the perception that special schools exist for Romani children (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997).

As a result of their parents' limitations in the Czech language, Romani children frequently enter the school system speaking a dialect of Czech that sounds strange to teachers and fellow students (Miklusakova 22 Sept. 1997). Furthermore, Romani culture and behaviour differ from that of the Czech majority (ibid.; ERRC 24 Sept. 1997). Teachers are ignorant of Romani language, culture and circumstances and therefore often identify the child as mentally handicapped and send him or her to a special school (Miklusakova 22 Sept. 1997; also Holomek 24 Sept. 1997). The ERRC researcher contends that many Romani children are sent to special schools for behavioural problems (24 Sept. 1997). The researcher concedes that it is probably true that children raised in the Romani culture do not adapt well to the classroom environment and that they may indeed have behavioral problems (ibid.).

In many cases Romani parents request that their child be sent or transferred to a special school (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997; Ministry of Education 30 Sept. 1997; New School 25 Sept. 1997). According to the New School Foundation, this is in part because many Romani children are harassed by Czech children, have no friends in basic schools and feel like outcasts (ibid.; also The Prague Post 27 Aug. 1997). Romani children believe that basic schools are for Czech children–this is reinforced by the fact that the child learns only Czech history, language and literature; the child has nothing to identity with, no positive models and has only negative school experiences (New School Foundation 25 Sept. 1997). The parents of these children often prefer to send them to the special schools where they would be with more Romani children (ibid.). According to Ondrej Gina, after accompanying their child to a psychological interview and test, parents are left with the impression that their child's only hope of finishing basic school lies in transferring the child to a special basic school (26 Sept. 1997). Faced with such a "frightening" option parents often agree to the transfer (26 Sept. 1997). Gina also states that parents believe their child will be safer in special schools (ibid.). The ERRC researcher indicates that Romani parents often send their children to special schools because their child is unhappy at the basic school and the parent wants the child to be with other Romani children (24 Sept. 1997). According to psychologists interviewed by the ERRC researcher, normal intelligence test results may be overlooked if the will of the parent is to send the child to a special school (ibid.).

             The Czech Ministry of Education maintains that the wishes of a child's parents are respected to a certain extent, but if it is discovered that a child is intellectually "normal" then that child would remain in the regular school system despite the parents wishes (30 Sept. 1997). The Czech Republic has ratified the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and, as a result of this, the needs of the child take priority over all other interests, including the parent's interests (ibid.). According to a Ministry of Education decree on special schooling dated 7 May 1997, the director of a special school is required to call for a reassessment if a child no longer seems to be appropriately placed (ibid.; ibid., Aug. 1997). The Ministry of Education states that it is also possible for children in special schools to transfer back to regular schools (30 Sept. 1997; ERRC Nov. 1997).

Ministry of Education spokespersons report that teachers are specially trained in post-graduate courses to deal with Romani children (30 Sept. 1997). Teachers in special schools generally graduate from the Pedagogical Faculty and usually from the Special Pedagogical Department (ibid.). Every special schoolteacher is trained for different handicaps and for different social and cultural backgrounds found in the Czech Republic (ibid.). According to the New School Foundation, however, teachers, including special school teachers, who train in pedagogical institutes are taught almost nothing about Roma and Romani culture (25 Sept. 1997). The New School Foundation provides workshops for all teachers on Romani issues (25 Sept. 1997). The workshops are free and are not obligatory; it is up to the initiative of each individual teacher whether or not to attend (ibid.). According to Foundation representatives, most teachers are not interested in attending such workshops (ibid.).

Special schools reportedly enjoy better student-teacher ratios, are better funded and have better-trained and paid teachers than do regular schools (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997; UNHCR 23 Sept. 1997; New School 25 Sept. 1997; Conway Mar. 1996, 15). The ERRC researcher admits that there is good will on the part of the Ministry of Education to ensure the quality of the special school system but argues that this effort is misguided and short-sighted as it leads to the further segregation of Romani children (24 Sept. 1997). According to social worker Marta Miklusakova, the Czech educational system is not able to provide Romani children with an education equal to that of Czech children (22 Sept. 1997).

5. PREPARATORY AND STREAMING CLASSES

Kindergarten classes, free during the communist era, are no longer free and are not obligatory (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997). As a result of the expense, most Romani children no longer attend kindergarten (ibid.). Czech NGOs, funded by organizations such as PHARE and the Soros Foundation, at times in collaboration with the Czech Ministry of Education, have established between 29 and 41 "zero level" or preparatory classes throughout the Czech Republic that are targeted at Roma and other "socially disadvantaged" children (ibid.; Ministry of Education 30 Sept. 1997; Miklusakova 22 Sept. 1997). Some preparatory classes have been established by schools themselves without the assistance of NGOs (ERRC 12 Dec. 1997). The schools must fund the programmes from their own budgets or apply for funding from local school offices (ibid.). The ERRC researcher maintains that funding for such programmes is occasionally cut suddenly and the schools must then turn to NGOs for financial support (ibid.).

According to the ERRC researcher, most of these classes were set up experimentally and many work well (24 Sept. 1997). Preparatory classes are meant to prepare Romani children for the experiences they will face in their first year of regular classes–the goal is to ensure that Romani children are able to succeed in normal basic schools (ibid.; Gina 26 Sept. 1997). According to the researcher, many of these classes have succeeded in sending the majority of their children on to function in normal basic schools (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997).

Ondrej Gina's Rokycany-based organization, the Foundation for Mutual Hope and Understanding, set up a two-year preparatory class in 1995 completely funded by the Soros Foundation (26 Sept. 1997). According to Gina, the programme, which was coordinated by a Romani woman with two Romani assistants, worked well; thirteen children went directly into basic school from the preparatory class (ibid.). Gina believes that as many as 50 per cent of these children would have been sent to special schools if not for the preparatory class (ibid.). The classes were not offered in the 1997 school year, however, because the Soros financing was intended to start the programme–the Foundation for Mutual Hope and Understanding and local government offices were to continue the experiment (ibid.). Gina reports that the project prepared by the local government offices was "totally unacceptable," adding that the government wanted to teach the children how to use a toothbrush, not prepare them for basic schools[2]2 (ibid.).

According to the New School Foundation, some zero level classes have been established in special schools, which does little to help alleviate the situation (25 Sept. 1997). The Foundation fears that the government "pretends the [Romani education problem] is solved by these [zero level classes]" (ibid.). The Czech government has been criticized for failing to take advantage and systematize the experiments that have proved themselves and worked well (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997).

The Ministry of Education states that if it becomes apparent, at the moment of entry into primary school or even before this stage, that a child may have difficulty in school because of social, cultural or language reasons, the obligation to attend school may be postponed for one year (30 Sept. 1997). If there are sufficient students facing a similar situation, perhaps between eight and ten, a preparatory class is conceived so that the children can adapt themselves to a school environment and prepare for a regular school environment (ibid.). According to the Ministry, these preparatory classes are directed by teachers or educators who "mostly" receive special training to deal with these children, including training organized by the Ministry (ibid.). Furthermore, most of these classes have a teacher's assistant who is usually a Rom (ibid.). The Pedagogical Institute has a written syllabus for preparatory classes, but essentially the Ministry indicates that the classes are intended to bring a child's language and culture skills up to a certain level so that the child can be streamed into a normal basic school (ibid.). The Ministry states, however, that since the introduction of preparatory classes in 1993, teachers and officials have had difficulty convincing Romani parents that such classes are useful (ibid.). Preparatory classes are not obligatory and when warm weather arrives students often fail to show up for classes (ibid.). According to a Ministry of Education spokesperson, the Romani teacher's assistant often does not show up for the classes (ibid.).

According to a 9 December 1997 e-mail from the ERRC researcher, in early November 1997 the Ministry of Education appointed a Romani woman to be a "Romani coordinator" for the Ministry. The coordinator's chief role will be to ensure that the preparatory level classes function effectively (ibid.).

A separate programme geared at Romani children has been running in a school in Prague 3 (a section or suburb of Prague) for a number of years (ERRC 24 Sept. 1997). This state-funded programme aims at streaming Romani children into regular basic school classes over a number of years (ibid.). The streaming programme is offered in a normal basic school, has slightly smaller classes and uses Romani teacher's assistants (ibid.). By the age of ten the Romani children are functioning independently in normal basic school classes (ibid.). Please see the October 14-23 Central Europe Online attachments for further details on this programme and for comments on Roma education problems from a teacher in this programme.

6. ROMANI TEACHERS AND TEACHING ASSISTANTS

One of the largest projects of the New School Foundation is aimed at recruiting and training Romani teacher's assistants (25 Sept. 1997). The largest problem encountered by the Foundation is finding money to pay the wages of the assistants (ibid.). According to a New School spokesperson, funding only exists to place two assistants in the next (January 1998) school semester[3]3 (ibid.). In the past the Foundation has placed Romani assistants in Prague, Brno and Usti nad Labem (ibid.). In 1996 three Romani teacher's assistants were placed and by September 1997 the Foundation had placed six assistants (ibid.). The New School Foundation trains the assistants and the Ministry of Education then certifies the successful candidates (ibid.). Please see the New School attachment for more detailed information on this and other Foundation programmes geared at Romani education.

According to the ERRC researcher, there are "a few" Romani teachers working in special and regular schools in the Czech Republic (24 Sept. 1997). Representatives of the New School Foundation counted approximately ten Romani teachers country-wide (25 Sept. 1997). Marta Miklusakova estimated that there may be between 10 and 15 Romani teachers in the country, "including teaching assistants" (22 Sept. 1997). Ondrej Gina and other representatives of the Foundation for Mutual Hope and Understanding in Rokycany also guessed that there are about ten Romani school teachers in the country (26 Sept. 1997). The Ministry of Education stated that they do not keep statistics on the ethnicity of teachers, but guessed that there are "some" Romani teachers at secondary and vocational schools around the country (30 Sept. 1997).

According to the Ministry, initiatives such as those in Rokycany and Prague 3 have a larger impact if organized by the Romani movement themselves and not by the government (Ministry of Education 30 Sept. 1997). Activities geared at the Romani minority must have the support of the Romani population or they will be perceived as being "imposed" by the white majority (ibid.). Sources agree that the placing of Romani assistants and the establishment of preparatory and streaming programmes will only function with the willingness and cooperation of teachers and directors from the target schools (New School 25 Sept. 1997; ERRC 24 Sept. 1997). According to the New School Foundation, "therefore you need enlightened head mistresses' and teachers who acknowledge the need to change and improve the situation ... such individuals are not common" (25 Sept. 1997). The ERRC researcher states that the Prague 3 streaming programme, and other similar projects, succeed because of the participation of a very committed local educational psychologist and a head mistress who was prepared to deal with the fact that parents of white children started to pull their children out of the school (24 Sept. 1997).

Since legislation was passed in 1993 it is possible for the Ministry of Education to finance NGO-sponsored initiatives from the Ministry's budget (Ministry of Education 30 Sept. 1997). Karel Holomek notes that the overwhelming majority of education projects designed to help Romani children are organized and funded by NGOs, occasionally with small amounts of money from the Ministry of Education (24 Sept. 1997). According to Holomek, in many cases NGOs have substituted the Ministry of Education (ibid.). Ondrej Gina believes that if not for the support of NGOs and international funding from such organizations as PHARE, USAID and the Soros Foundation, the situation of Roma in the Czech Republic would be considerably worse (26 Sept. 1997).

According to a 28 October 1997 The Prague Post article, in early September 1997 a new social education programme, initiated by both the government and Romani Emil Scuka's[4]4 Rajka Djurice Foundation, was established in Prague. A Ministry of Education spokesperson cited in The Prague Post states that the aim of the programme is to "ease communication between the state administration and Romanies. ... This goal will be achieved ... by preparing course participants for a future role as mediators between Romanies and government officials" (ibid.). Participants in this programme can take a one, three or five year course. At the end of the one year programme the participant would be qualified to work, for example, as a pre-school Romani assistant (ibid.). At the end of the lengthier programmes the participant should have the requisite skills to be employed as a Romani affairs advisor to a "number of government departments" (ibid.). According to Emil Scuka 70 participants, all Romani, were chosen for the programme which will be offered in the evenings (ibid.).

7. COUNCIL FOR NATIONAL MINORITIES RECOMMENDATIONS

The goal of the Ministry of Education is to enable Romani children to complete at least regular basic education and to reduce the number of Romani children sent to special schools (Ministry of Education 30 Sept. 1997). The Ministry has been accused, however, of having a piece-meal approach to the education problem and of an inability, or unwillingness, to formulate a programme to address the problems facing the Roma and education (New School 25 Sept. 1997; ERRC 24 Sept. 1997). On 29 October 1997 a report of the Czech Council for National Minorities on the situation of the country's Romani minority was accepted by the Czech government. This report includes a number of recommendations for several different ministries aimed at improving the situation of Roma in the Czech Republic. Included in these recommendations are 11 for the Ministry of Education. The recommendations intended for the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, which were accepted by the Government of the Czech Republic on 29 October 1997, are listed below.

A. Within the primary education system, to widen the network of preparatory classes for pupils with linguistically and socioculturally disadvantaged backgrounds;

B. To ensure an enhanced flow of information to schools at all levels on the available specialized literature concerning the issues of multicultural society and education for tolerance;

C. In authorizing exemptions as regards the minimum number of pupils per class, to apply the procedures designed for national minority classes also to classes with children from Roma families;

D. Put at the disposal of the schools the project "Modification of the education programme for the specific needs of Roma children" together with a methodical instruction and to regularly evaluate its implementation;

E. To prepare new material for the tests used in selecting children for placement in special schools, paying more regard to the specific disposition of Roma children in order to eliminate the hitherto prevailing practice which has led to excessive numbers of Roma children placed in special schools without any conclusive evidence as to their intellectual and learning capacity;

F. To ensure the conditions (including financial conditions) for the implementation of the experimental project for step-by-step training of Roma advisors and, after evaluating the project, to develop a concept for this type of training together with the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Minister of Interior, Research Institute of Vocational Education in Prague and the authority responsible for the project;

G. In cooperation with the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, to determine the qualifications required for the function of "Roma pedagogical assistant";

H. In the "education" chapter of the state budget for the year 1998, to earmark funds totaling CZK 2,268,000[5]5 for the wages of at least 20 Roma pedagogical assistants;

I. to ensure the offer of in-service training on issues related to national and ethnic minorities within the system of in-service training of pedagogical workers;

J. To appoint a Ministry coordinator responsible for national minority education;

K. In cooperation with the representatives of the Roma community, to ensure that Roma children with a talent for music, dance or other forms of art are placed in primary art schools so that such children may have an opportunity to develop their talent and meet the requirements of admission to secondary art schools,

Deadline: H. - immediately, D, E, F, G, J, - before 31 December 1997, other items continuously (Government of the Czech Republic 29 Oct. 1997).

For information and updates on the situation of Roma please consult the documentary sources and IRB databases available at Regional Documentation Centres.

NOTES ON SELECTED SOURCES

European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC)

The ERRC is a Budapest-based international public interest law organization which monitors the human rights situation of Roma in Europe and provides legal defence in cases of human rights abuse. The ERRC has a Prague-based researcher who monitors the situation of the Roma in the Czech Republic and reports to Budapest.

Gina, Ondrej

Ondrej Gina is a Romani leader and a member of the Council for National Minorities and a member of the Council's Ad Hoc Working Group on Romani Affairs. Ondrej Gina is the chairperson of the Rokycany-based (west Bohemia) Foundation for Mutual Hope and Understanding and the chairman of the Council of Rokycany Roma.

Holomek, Karel

Karel Holomek is an engineer and Romani leader based in Brno, Moravia. Karel Holomek is the chairman of the Brno-based Society of Professionals and Friends of the Museum of Romani Culture, a founding member of the Association of Roma in Moravia and the appointed President of the Helsinki Citizen's Assembly Roma Section. He is also a member of the Czech government's Council for National Minorities Ad Hoc Working Group on Romani Affairs.

Miklusakova, Marta

Marta Miklusakova works with the Citizenship Counseling Service of the Czech Helsinki Committee. Marta Miklusakova has a BA in Social Work and a MA in Social Policy from the Department of Social Work at Charles University in Prague. She has also completed a post-graduated diploma in Romani studies, with a focus on linguistics.

New School Foundation (Nadace New School)

The Nadace New School was founded in January 1996 and is a non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting multiculturalism, responsible citizenship and tolerance through education. The Foundation runs alternative educational programmes for children and adults and its activities focus on human rights and minority rights, with particular attention paid to improving the educational conditions of the Romani minority in the Czech Republic and the impact of education on their future lives.

REFERENCES

Conway, Laura. March 1996. Report on the Status of Romani Education in the Czech Republic. Prague: Citizen's Solidarity and Tolerance Movement - HOST.

Central Europe Online (CEO). 23 September 1997. "Czech Roma see Canada as Attractive Alternative: Interview with Marta Tulejova." [Internet] (URL:http://www.centraleurope.com/ceo/special/interview/int1.html)[Accessed 7 Oct. 1997]

Czech News Agency (CTK). 18 November 1997. "Romanies Nominate Emil Scuka as Commission Deputy Head." (NEXIS)

Gina, Ondrej, Rokycany. 26 September 1997. Interview.

The Globe and Mail [Toronto]. 11 December 1997. "Foreign Exchange."

European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), Budapest. 12 December 1997. E-mail sent to the research directorate by the ERRC's Prague-based researcher.

European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), Budapest. 9 December 1997. E-mail sent to the research directorate by the ERRC's Prague-based researcher.

European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), Budapest. November 1997. "Brief Report: Ostrava 30-31 October 1997." Report e-mailed to the Research Directorate by the ERRC Prague-based researcher.

European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), Budapest. 24 September 1997. Interview with Prague-based researcher.

European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), Budapest. August 1997. "Discrimination Against Roma in the Czech Republic."

Government of the Czech Republic. 29 October 1997. Resolution of the Government of the Czech Republic of 29 October 1997 No. 686 on the Report on the Situation of the Roma Community in the Czech Republic and on the Present Situation in the Roma Community. Unofficial translation provided to the IRB by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Ottawa in November 1997.

Holomek, Karel, Brno. 24 September 1997. Interview.

Miklusakova, Marta. 22 September 1997. Interview.

Ministry of Education, Prague. 30 September 1997. Interview with Ministry representatives.

New School (New School) Foundation. 25 September 1997. Interview with the Foundation director, teachers and other employees.

The Prague Post. 28 October 1997. Michele Legge. "New Program Trains Romanies as Mediators." (NEXIS)

The Prague Post. 27 August 1997. Arie Farnam. "Romanies Feel Excluded from Czech Educational System. (NEXIS)

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 1996. Human Development Report Czech Republic 1996. Prague: Faculty of Science, Charles University.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Prague. 23 September 1997. Interview with representatives of the UNHCR's Prague office.

Uhl, Petr, Prague. 27 September 1997. Interview.

ATTACHMENTS

Central Europe Online [Prague]. 14-23 October 1997. "The Roma and the Czech Education System."

New School (New School) Foundation. 15 September 1997. The Romani Education Program of the New School Foundation. Prague: New School Foundation.

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[1]1.           Please see the New School Foundation attachment for detailed information on the Romani education programmes operated and organized by the New School Foundation.

 

[2]2.           Local government commentary specific to this project is not currently available.

[3]3.           In a 9 December 1997 e-mail to the Research Directorate the ERRC researcher commented that he is aware of two Romani teaching assistants in Prague who are having their NGO funding stopped and are not receiving any government replacement funds.

[4]4.           Emil Scuka is a lawyer and Romani leader. He is a member of the Czech Council for National Minorities, a senior representative of the Romani Civic Initiative (ROI) party. Scuka was recently elected by 88 Romani organizations and communities as the leading candidate to fill the position of deputy chairperson in the recently formed Inter-Ministerial Commission for Romani Affairs (CTK 18 Nov. 1997).

[5]5.           According to the 11 December 1997 issue of the Globe and Mail, one Czech Crown is worth 0.0408 Canadian dollars (B23).