„Vzdelanie Rómov, o Rómoch a pre Rómov“ – „Education of Roma, on Roma and for Roma“

The project was co-financed by the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area and the

State Budget of the Slovak Republic.

The project of the Private pedagogical and social academy was realised in the frame of "Local and

Regional Initiatives - Reducing National Disparities and Supporting Social Inclusion" co-financed by

the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area and the National Budget of the Slovak

Republic.

Project contract signed:  25.09.2014  https://www.crz.gov.sk/index.php?ID=1536845&l=sk

Project number: SI01018

Implementation of the project: 30/10/2014 – 30/04/2016

The aim of the project:

The project has a few specific aims at the level of implementation:

 Create awareness-raising among school teachers, in order to combat negative stereotypes

about Roma students families and improve the schools’ efforts to avoid school drop-out/failure

among Roma children and youth;

 Establish firm ground for inclusion via non-formal education and activities related to Roma

issues;

 Promote a positive attitude towards education through awareness-raising;

 Create a platform for regular contact and dialogue between the Roma communities and the

local authorities in Slovakia, to better respond to the concerns of the Roma and

prevent/address discrimination, with an emphasis on the field of education.

 Increase the number of students interested in learning the Roma language and realities,

improve language learning through inclusive teaching and non-formal education, strengthen

Roma identity in secondary school students.

Project phases:

1. Organizing a swimming training at Šírava which took a week during which students could

obtain necessary skills for their further improvement on personal as well as professional level.

2. Arranging a computer room that is vital for building students’ pc skills that can enable them to

be literate in the field of modern technologies. Computers are also a useful tool for teachers in

order to be able to implement innovative methods in language learning that corresponded with

the idea of the project.

3. Organizing supplementary activities aimed at non/formal language learning that led to

promoting projects’ results amongst wide audience composed of either The Roma or The Non

Roma.

The outcome:

1. Ten classes in which the Roma language and literature are taught (3 lessons per week).

2. Nine classes in which the subject of the Roma realities is taught (2 lessons a week)

3. Supplementary cultural and social events with passive as well as active participation of the school

staff and its pupils: Orange prize devoted to the Academy for its 10 years of playing an active role in

promoting Roma rights, ski course, Pro Educo /trade market in the field of education/, literature and

essay writing competitions; voluntary activities: White crayon, charitable fundraising for disadvantaged

groups of people, etc.

The purpose of the project was for students to learn how to actively participate in social life of their

own communities in close cooperation with others who may not belong to the group of disadvantaged

but are ready to embrace the idea of tolerance and mutual cooperation which leads to a better

understanding and improving relations between minority and majority. The project was aimed at Roma

students of the Social and pedagogical academy whose ambition is to become social workers and

help raise awareness of Roma issues amongst others. The academy has been in existence for more

than 10 years and is very active in promoting human rights especially those whose social status does

not enable them to be speakers and active role players in the field of human rights.

Our project was aimed at improving teaching methods and strengthens the role of the Roma language

and Roma realities in education.

Thanks to the financial grant from the Norwegian funds we were able to establish a computer room

with the idea to enable students to have an easy access to various pieces of information that would

help them be in touch with the world’s reality.

This phase of the project was preceded by certain practical events that should be a part of their

curriculum, such as a swimming training that was organized as a week outdoor trip to a holiday resort

in Šírava. The swimming course was supplemented by the activities of the informal learning character.

Those were aimed at non formal education and greatly contributed towards acknowledgment of the so

called Roma issues.

The next phases of the project were devoted to implementation of acquired knowledge into lessons of

the Roma language and realities. Our teachers have started to obtain necessary skills in order to

make education more attractive and interesting to students by conducting lessons based on

implementing innovative approach.

The project was realised successfully and with the idea of its endurance.

Further information:

Mgr. Irena Adamová

phone: +421 917 506 610 

e-mail: irenaadam@centrum.sk

 

More info: www.eeagrants.sk  a  www.eeagrants.org

https://www.crz.gov.sk/index.php?ID=1536845&l=sk