ROMA EDUCATION FUND Roma Early Childhood Inclusion Overview Report Roma Early Childhood Inclusion The RECI Overview Report Author John Bennett The country designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the sponsoring agencies concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. As per the United Nations Security Council Resolution 817, the UN adopted the provisional reference name “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.” Most international organizations, including the EU have adopted the same convention. In line with the UN resolution, UNICEF refers to the country as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The Open Society Foundations refer to it by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia. Given that this publication is supported by EU, it was resolved by the three sponsoring agencies REF, Open Society Foundations and UNICEF to use the name “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.” For further information, please contact: Sarah Klaus, Open Society Foundations: [email protected] Mihai Surdu, REF: [email protected] Deepa Grover, UNICEF: [email protected] © UNICEF photos/SWZ/2011/John McConnico Design and layout/Judit Kovacs/Createch Ltd. Printed in Hungary/2012 This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. Contents List of Boxes, Figures and Tables ....................................................................................................... 5 The Sponsoring Agencies .................................................................................................................. 7 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................... 8 A Note on Terminology ....................................................................................................................... 8 Preface ............................................................................................................................................... 9 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................11 Chapter 1. Introduction, Methodology and Sources ..........................................................................11 Chapter 2. Issues Identified in the RECI National Reports ...............................................................11 Chapter 3. Conclusions and Principles of Action ...............................................................................13 CHAPTER 1. Introduction, Methodology and Sources ......................................................................17 Key Messages of Chapter 1 ..............................................................................................................17 1. Overview of the RECI Project and Methodology ...........................................................................17 2. The Roma People ..........................................................................................................................19 CHAPTER 2. Issues Identified in the RECI National Reports .......................................................... 23 Key Messages of Chapter 2 ............................................................................................................. 23 1. Progress In Policy Formulation Is Being Made But a Large Gap Exists Between Aspirations and Implementation ................................................................................ 23 2. Extreme Poverty, Intolerable Living Conditions, Low Educational Levels and Lack of Employment Undermine Roma Family Life and the Health of Young Children ......................... 26 3. The Social Exclusion of Roma is Greatly Reinforced by Majority Discrimination and Prejudice ............................................................................................................................. 28 4. The Early Development of Roma Children, During Infancy and the Pre-Kindergarten Period, Is Not Sufficiently Supported ........................................................................................ 34 5. National Kindergarten and Primary Education Systems Are Failing to Recruit, Include and Educate Roma Children ......................................................................................... 38 6. The Lack of Disaggregated Data on Roma Children and Their Progress Prevents Evidence-Based Planning .......................................................................................................... 43 CHAPTER 3. Conclusions and Principles of Action .......................................................................... 47 Key Messages of Chapter 3 ............................................................................................................. 47 1. Roma Children Are Valuable: Europe Cannot Afford to Neglect Their Future ............................ 47 2. In Addition to Legislation, Governments Need to Invest in Communication and Education to Renew Majority Notions of Citizenship and Democracy ............................... 53 3. The Major Responsibility for Early Childhood Policies Remains with National and Local Governments. Their Efforts Will Be More Effective if Linked Closely with EU Roma Initiatives ......................................................................................................................... 57 4. In Contexts of Extreme Poverty and Exclusion, Developmental Readiness for School Requires a Multi-Dimensional Concept of Early Childhood Programming That Places a Strong Emphasis on Early Intervention and Women’s Education........................ 61 5. In the Early Childhood Sector, Effective Governance and Consolidated Policies Are Critical ................................................................................................................................. 65 6. Effective Kindergartens and Schools for Excluded Children Need Clear Goals, High Quality, Expanded Services, and Outreach to Parents and Communities ........................ 69 7. Evidence-Based Policy in Favour of Roma Children Is Urgently Needed ...................................73 References ...................................................................................................................................... 77 Annex 1. Summary of the RECI National Reports ............................................................................ 83 The Czech Republic ................................................................................................................... 83 1. Country Information .......................................................................................................... 83 2. The Status of Roma in the Czech Republic ....................................................................... 83 3. The Status of Young Children in General ........................................................................... 84 4. The Status of Roma Children and Their Families ............................................................... 85 5. Issues and Challenges ...................................................................................................... 86 6. Recommendations for Consideration by Czech Policymakers .......................................... 86 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia ............................................................................ 87 1. Country Information .......................................................................................................... 87 2. The Status of Roma in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia ................................ 87 3. The Status of Young Children in General ........................................................................... 89 4. The Status of Roma Children and Their Families ............................................................... 89 5. Issues and Challenges ...................................................................................................... 90 6. Recommendations for Consideration by Macedonian Policymakers ................................ 90 Romania .................................................................................................................................... 91 1. Country Information .......................................................................................................... 91 2. The Status of Roma in Romania ........................................................................................ 91 3. The Status of Young Children in General ........................................................................... 93 4. The Status of Roma Children and Their Families ............................................................... 93 5. Issues and Challenges ...................................................................................................... 95 6. Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 95 Serbia ........................................................................................................................................ 98 1. Country Information .......................................................................................................... 98 2. The Status of Roma in Serbia ............................................................................................ 98 3. The Status of Young Children in General ........................................................................... 99 4. The Status of Young Romany Children and Their Families ................................................. 99 5. Issues and Challenges .....................................................................................................100 6. Recommendations for the Consideration of Serbian Policymakers .................................101 Annex 2. Notes on the National Report Authors .............................................................................103 4 r o m a e a r l y ch i l d h o o d i n c l u s i o n – t h e R E C I ove r v i ew r e p o r t List of Boxes, Figures and Tables Box 1: World Bank Policy Note on the Economic Costs of Roma Exclusion (2010) ......................... 20 Box 2: European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey (EU-MIDIS, 2009) ............................ 28 Box 3: A disturbing backdrop to Roma talks (European Voice, 7 April, 2011) .................................... 30 Box 4: Special testing of Roma children at Dumbraveni, Sibiu, Romania ......................................... 33 Box 5: What do we know about early childhood development? ...................................................... 35 Box 6: Initiatives in Serbia to improve education for young children ................................................ 39 Box 7: Attitudes to education are linked to education levels ............................................................ 43 Box 8: Czech draft policy proposal for more effective inclusion of Roma children ........................... 45 Box 9: The costs of not taking action on behalf of Roma children ................................................... 49 Box 10: Why Roma parents in Romania do not enrol children in early education services .............. 50 Box 11: Toward equitable enrolments .............................................................................................. 52 Box 12: A Good Start (AGS) Pilot Initiative ....................................................................................... 60 Box 13: How will the European Commission check on progress? ................................................... 61 Box 14: Gender equality in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia ........................................ 64 Box 15: Elements of a well-governed early childhood system ......................................................... 66 Box 16: The provision of education expenses and food coupons improves attendance .................. 71 Box 17: A Romanian initiative to enhance bilingual education ......................................................... 73 Figure 1: Percentage of children remaining in poverty before and after government transfers ....... 48 Figure 2: A holistic model of early intervention................................................................................ 63 Table 1: An early childhood development agenda for Roma children ............................................... 15 Table 2: Comparative life expectancy rates among national populations and Roma ........................ 24 Table 3: An overview of Roma poverty and unemployment in the four countries ........................... 27 Table 4: Percentage of total children in special class-rooms, centres or segregated schools who are Roma ......................................................................................................... 32 Table 5: Early childhood indicators from Serbia, 2005 ...................................................................... 35 Table 6: Female age of marriage in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia .......... 36 Table 7: Public spending on social systems ..................................................................................... 37 Table 8: Comparative data on ECEC and primary school enrolments for Roma and majority children ........................................................................................................................ 40 Table 9: Size of the Roma population in selected countries: official figures and alternative estimates ................................................................................................................. 44 5 Table 10: An early childhood development agenda for Roma children (adapted from UNICEF, 2008) .................................................................................................... 69 Table 11. Roma in comparison to Macedonians and Albanians in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia .............................................................................................................. 89 Table 12. Enrolment of Roma children in segregated preschools and schools as a percentage of all Romanian children enrolled (estimation) ..................................................... 95 The Sponsoring Agencies The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. To achieve this mission, the Foundations seek to shape public policies that assure greater fairness in political, legal, and economic systems and safeguard fundamental rights. On a local level, the Open Society Foundations implement a range of initiatives to advance justice, education, public health, and independent media. The Foundations place a high priority on protecting and improving the lives of people in marginalized communities. The Open Society Foundations are key drivers of the Roma Decade. The Open Society Foundations have considerable experiences in working in partnership with and strengthening Roma civil society organisations, but also in collecting and analysing data and the evaluation of projects and programmes. The Early Childhood Program (ECP) promotes healthy development and wellbeing of young children, through initiatives that emphasize parent and community engagement, professional development and government accountability. The ECP’s rights-based approach and social justice framework give particular attention to minorities; children with developmental delays, malnutrition and disabilities; and children living in poverty. In Central Eastern Europe/Eurasia, large ECP initiatives focus on addressing the situation of Roma children, children with disabilities and children who do not have access to services. The ECP continues to support and collaborate with the national and regional early childhood NGOs, established through its flagship Step by Step program, including the International Step by Step Association (ISSA). The Roma Education Fund (REF) was created in the framework of the Decade of Roma Inclusion in 2005. Its mission and ultimate goal is to close the gap in educational outcomes between Roma and non-Roma. In order to achieve this goal, the organization supports policies and programmes which ensure quality education for Roma, including the desegregation of education systems. Through its activities, the REF promotes Roma inclusion in all aspects of the national education systems of countries participating in the Decade of Roma Inclusion, as well as other countries that wish to join in this effort. The objectives of REF include ensuring access to compulsory education, improving the quality of education, implementing integration and desegregation of Roma students, expanding access to pre-school education, and increasing access to secondary, post-secondary and adult education, for example through scholarships, adult literacy courses and career advice for secondary school students. REF is currently engaged in an early childhood initiative funded by the European Union. The project supports more than 4,000 children from ages zero to six to access early childhood education and care services in 16 locations across four countries (Hungary, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania and Slovakia). UNICEF has been working in the CEECIS region since the 1990s with the objective of protecting and promoting the rights of children, especially those from the most vulnerable and marginalized groups. UNICEF is a member of the Steering Committee of the Roma Decade. UNICEF is engaged in developing a systematic and coherent engagement with Roma issues through the key entry points of early childhood development and basic education. UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach 7 their full potential. UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children’s rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children. UNICEF insists that the survival, protection and development of children are universal development imperatives that are integral to human progress. UNICEF mobilizes political will and material resources to help countries, particularly developing countries, ensure a “first call for children” and to build their capacity to form appropriate policies and deliver services for children and their families. UNICEF is committed to ensuring special protection for the most disadvantaged children – victims of war, disasters, extreme poverty, all forms of violence and exploitation and those with disabilities. Acknowledgements The Open Society Foundations, REF and UNICEF would like to acknowledge with appreciation and gratitude the leadership provided by Dr. John Bennett in conducting the Roma Early Childhood Inclusion research. He was responsible for developing the research methodology, training national researchers, supporting the drafting of the national RECI reports in the Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, supporting and participating in national consultations, and contributing significantly to the final versions of the reports. Dr. Bennett also prepared the RECI Overview Report, which is as an interpretative summary of the four national reports. The sponsoring agencies acknowledge with thanks the hard work of the national researchers and writers of the reports who are Martin Kaleja and Milada Rabušicová for the Czech Report; Nadica Janeva, Enisa Eminovska and Violeta Petroska-Beshka for the Macedonian Report; Margareta Matache and Mihaela Ionescu for the Romanian Report; and Zorica Trikic, Suncˇica Macura-Milovanovic´, and Marija Aleksandrovic´ for the Serbian Report. Eben Friedman did a meticulous job of editing and finalising the Macedonian Report. A Note on Terminology The text seeks to comply with the European Union and the Council of Europe’s adopted usage of the term ‘Roma’. The term includes – as in recent official EU, Council of Europe and Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents – Roma, Traveller, Sinti and other groups commonly (though inaccurately) described as ‘Gypsies.’1 Readers should note that the usage of the term is not intended to deny the diversity that exists across both Roma and Traveller groups. A significant and growing Roma middle class exists, which participates fully as citizens in the countries and societies in which they live, without sacrificing their ethnic and cultural identity. For readability purposes, the adjective ‘Roma’ will generally be used, in particular when referring to the Roma people as a whole or to groups or individuals, e.g. Roma children, Roma families. The adjective ‘Romani’ will generally refer to languages and culture. 8 1 “Gypsies” is a term that is highly contested and can only be used with the greatest caution, as many groups described as such in the press and media would refute the term. Among the groups that accept the term, albeit capitalised, are English Gypsies or Romany people in the UK; see Hancock (2002), We Are The Romani People/ Ames sam e Rromane Dzene, Interface Collection, Hatfi eld: University of Hertfordshire Press, xvi–xxii. r o m a e a r l y ch i l d h o o d i n c l u s i o n – t h e R E C I ove r v i ew r e p o r t