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THE ROMA EDUCATION FUND

THE ROMA EDUCATION FUND. Can you believe it!. Approximately 80% of Roma children in Romania do not attend preschool. While enrollment in primary education in Romania is 93% for the population as a whole, Roma children account for approximately 80% of the 7% who do not attend primary education.

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THE ROMA EDUCATION FUND

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  1. THE ROMA EDUCATION FUND

  2. Can you believe it! • Approximately 80% of Roma children in Romania do not attend preschool. • While enrollment in primary education in Romania is 93% for the population as a whole, Roma children account for approximately 80% of the 7% who do not attend primary education. • In Bulgaria, there are 106 schools and kindergartens attended exclusively by Roma. • In one county of Hungary, Roma account for more than 90% of students attending schools with special education curricula.

  3. Can you believe it! • In Slovakia, the share of Roma children reported in special schools exceeds that in regular schools by a factor of almost 14, with approximately 20% of Romani children initially enrolled in mainstream primary education leaving for special education between grades 1 and 2. • In Bulgaria, Roma children account for 20.6% of children entering primary school, but only 7.2% of all students in grade 8. • In Serbia more than 30% school aged Roma are not in school and 50% of Roma children do not continue primary education beyond 4th grade • In Macedonia 43% of Roma children do not complete 8 years of primary education

  4. What is the Roma Education Fund • Created in the framework of the Decade of Roma inclusion as a Swiss and a Hungarian Foundation ( May 12, 2005 and February 17, 2006 respectively) • Office in Budapest • Country Facilitators in 5 countries • Included in all the main international forum discussing Roma inclusion: council of Europe, EU commission, UNESCO) • REF is establishing strong partnerships with Western European Roma organizations and networks (e.g Gitanos in Spain) • 70% of the staff are Roma

  5. Objectives of the Roma Education Fund • Closing the education outcome gap between Roma and Non-Roma • Influence institutional changes in education systems and policy reforms for Roma inclusion • Foster Roma participation • Document and disseminate best practices on both policy reforms and programs

  6. REF Financing (2005-2007) • 2005-2007 18 million Euro committed • OSI Founding member ( 35 % of financing • World Bank Founding member 16% of financing) • Bilaterals: (Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, UK, Germany, Hungary, Spain, Greece, Ireland, Slovenia) • Network of European Foundations: (Rememberance and Future Foundation, Freudenberg, Evens,Barrow Caldbury, Mott) • Private sector and individuals (eg. Putumayo World Music Company)

  7. Programs managed by the Roma Education Fund • Grants for projects and programs • Reimbursable grants for facilitating access to EU Structural Funds • Capacity Building and policy development program • Communication and advocacy program • University scholarships for Roma students

  8. Grants • 75 projects supported by REF grants in 12 countries (12 million Euro committed and 7 million disbursed) • 1.7 years in average length. 145,000 Euro average size • Cover all levels of education • Implemented by NGOs, Governments and public institutions • Cover pilots, programs for scaling-up good projects and research/policy development • Elaborated mechanisms of field monitoring, with very careful follow-up on finance and procurement and rating system

  9. Capacity building, policy development and communication • Country analysis and REF working directions: 8 countries • Study on expected long term budgetary benefits of Roma inclusion in education • Policy note on Serbia pre-school • 6 other studies and evaluations under way • High demand for policy papers and advice and exchange of experience • Large conference in Budapest 450 participants from 25 countries • Intense policy dialogue with officials

  10. Targeting European Union Structural Funds • Pilot reimbursable grant mechanism ( 25 grants) • TA to agencies managing Structural Funds • Commenting on National Action Plans and other national strategies and programs • Building up capacity of Roma NGOs to access Structural Funds • Lobbying national agencies to create specific financial lines for Education of Roma

  11. Scholarships • Taking responsibility for Roma Scholarship Program created by the Open Society Institute (800 scholarships a year in 15 countries in accredited universities) • Law and Humanities Scholarship program financed by the German Remembrance, Responsibility and Future Foundation in Moldova, Poland, Russia and Ukraine) 56 scholarships a year with intensive mentoring and support • New Roma Health Scholarship Program to be launched in 2008

  12. Major challenges • Lack of access to pre-school education • Segregation in Roma only schools • Lack of a multicultural and inclusive approaches to education • Scandalous system of Roma oriented to special schools for mentally disabled • Weak economic support to students in secondary and university education • Lack of adequately trained teachers • Poor monitoring of discrimination cases

  13. Vision for the future • Priority on evaluation and country monitoring • Strengthen policy advice and participatory learning • Focus on scaling up and make a national impact • Advocacy to maintain commitment • Show that success are common in Roma Education and that solution exist

  14. Vision for the future • EU, REF partnership • Leverage structural funds in EU countries • Expanding to other countries in order to include more diverse experience • Expanding partnerships: Gitanos, Research institutions, Brookings, OECD, Council of Europe • Strengthen REF Office

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