OSCE Mission supports steps to improve Roma education in Kosovo

PRISTINA, 23 October 2003 - The OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) today presented recommendations aiming to develop an education strategy for the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian (RAE) communities in Kosovo.

Equal access to education is a precondition for participation of RAE communities in political, social and economic life. The recommendations foresee a co-ordinated approach that would guarantee equal opportunities for RAE communities in the educational system.

"A gap in the education system has been identified, and there is a will and obligation on MEST to improve education for these communities," said Rexhep Osmani, the Education Minister.

MEST is the lead government authority involved with the educational problems of the RAE, as well as for all communities in Kosovo.

The text presented today focuses on three main areas for MEST to tackle - low enrolment and high dropout rates of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian children, teacher training and education in the Roma language.

As a practical step, Mr. Osmani announced that a programme of nine-month-long "catch-up" classes targeting 1,600 RAE children will begin simultaneously in 12 municipalities. It is hoped that by the beginning of the next academic year, this will increase the number of RAE pupils by up to 40 per cent.

In order to increase the RAE enrolment and decrease the dropout rate, MEST was advised to develop awareness campaigns, pre-school curriculum and programmes for RAE children, as well as vocational training.

Teachers will be part of a training scheme on a Kosovo-wide level, which will be organized by appropriate institutions and non-governmental organizations. Lastly, in order to integrate RAEs into mainstream education, MEST will consider introducing Roma language as optional subject.

The recommendations were developed from a roundtable on RAE education in Kosovo, co-hosted by the OSCE Mission and MEST earlier this year.

The report can be found in English, Albanian, Serbian, Turkish and Roma on the OSCE Mission in Kosovo website at www.osce.org/kosovo.