Violations of the right to education of Romani children in Slovakia

In 2002, the government of Slovakia made provision for the introduction of preparatory (known as “zero grade” in Slovakia) year classes4 (see Chapter 4), for children who have not attended preschooling, most of whom are Roma, and for the employment of teaching assistants in primary schools. Amnesty International considers that, if systematically implemented, these measures could advance the realization of the right to education of Romani children. However, municipalities charged with responsibility for pre-school and primary education are not legally required to establish such preparatory (zero grade) classes or employ teaching assistants, and some have failed to do so. The government has also adopted a plan to reduce the number of Romani children attending special schools as part of Slovakia’s commitment to the Decade of Roma Inclusion in 2005-2015, a regional intergovernmental initiative to break the vicious cycle of poverty and exclusion experienced by Romani communities. In its August 2006 Manifesto, the new government of Slovakia elected in June 2006 has also made policy commitments to uphold human dignity and to integrate the Roma community in society through development programmes and efficient use of funding in education, culture, health care, social care, infrastructure, and housing. However, Amnesty International’s research, along with the findings of other bodies and experts, indicate that these measures have not sufficiently addressed the problem. In failing to take sufficient note of the systematic racism and discrimination faced by Romani communities in every aspect of their lives, the government has failed to oversee the implementation of these and other special measures it must take to meet its obligations under national and international law to respect, protect and fulfil the right to education of Romani children. For example, the provision of preparatory classes and teaching assistants remains entirely optional, and implementation is uneven at best. The national human rights body, the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights, warned the government in its 2005 report that primary schools were failing to implement measures aimed at the integration of all children. In addition, the government has failed to address systemic legal and policy failings which allow separate and unequal education of Romani children to continue. The criteria for the diversion of children into special schools continue to be opaque, the oversight of placement decisions is inadequate, and mechanisms for integrating children erroneously placed in special schools remain ineffective.

 

Attachment Size
English -812.15 KB 812.15 KB
Publication type
Total pages
60
Countries this relates to
Language of materials
Projects and thematic pages

Childhub

You might like..

0
2
Almost all the pupils at the primary “special school” in Pavlovce nad Uhom, eastern Slovakia, are Roma. The school is intended for children who have mental disabilities. This case study details how the Romani children are placed in the special…
0
13
This report, provides an analysis of the situation of street involved children, how their issues are currently addressed within legislative and policy frameworks, and highlights programmatic initiatives being implemented by International and local…
0
1
Increased understanding of the magnitude of child trafficking in the UK, and continued concerns about trafficked children going missing from care have prompted a review into the support available to young victims of human trafficking. To look at…
0
2
Refugee Rights Europe conducted research in Paris between 27 and 30 January 2018. The study is based on a survey of 283 individuals in their native languages, or approximately 10% of the estimated 2950 refugees and displaced people thought to be…
0
4
This volume contains the first research reports of the Romani Expert Groups for Romani Integration. Drawing on extensive background research and consultations with local stakeholders, four core areas were distinguished for the purpose of the needs…
0
5
Amnesty International has documented discrimination against and racial segregation of Romani children in education in Slovakia since 2006. Over the last five years Amnesty International has conducted its own in-depth research in various localities…
0
13
In this publication, it is reported that "Bulgaria has closed the crowded, isolated institutions that once housed its disabled children, but is still a long way from providing the care they need." while Bulgaria has undertaken the process of…
0
4
Separated children who are illegally resident or have temporary status are one of the most vulnerable groups of people in the EU. Separated children may be seeking asylum because of fear of persecution or the lack of protection due to human rights…
0
6
Separated refugee children and young people face a considerable number of challenges in their daily lives. It is within this context that the interview material in this report should be considered. First, there is the experience in their home…
0
10
The research conducted by the ERRC and PiN in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia indicates that trafficking in persons affects Roma disproportionately. Although relevant official data does not exist, the estimates provided…
no
0
47
The month of November marks the 32nd anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the child worldwide. Ally Dunhill and Prerna Humpal are, thus, rightfully asking How far have we come to realising the rights of all children in…
0
9
Eurochild member COPE's child participation projects gather experiences of children of incarcerated parents An estimated 2.1 million children are separated from a parent in prison in Europe countries on any given day…
0
2
The CPC Learning Network invites you to attend a webinar on measuring separation in emergencies  on Thursday, September 24, 2015 from 9am to 11am EDT (3-5pm CET).  The webinar will include a description of the population-estimation tool…
no
0
44
Millions of children around the world face separation from their primary caregivers for reasons like divorce, deployment, incarceration, and many others. Any such separation can be considered as Adverse Childhood Trauma (ACEs). Due to this,…
0
18
This paper investigates the issue of intersectional discrimination and the complexities that arise when children experience discrimination on basis of multiple interrelated grounds, such as age, ethnic origin, disability and gender. It was…