The children

Early years

Primary school years

Adolescence

 

Roma children education

© UNICEF/Romania007/Bivol
Roma girl and boy at Roma festival

There are a number of social, economic, cultural and systemic causes resulting in non-enrolment, non-attendance and school drop-out among Roma children. Some child-related causes include: precarious health conditions, low learning motivation, gender-based differences (according to which girls get married early, and their social role is to raise children and take care of the family), poor self image and school results. Teachers report that some two thirds of Roma children who have dropped out showed a lack of interest in school, over 20% have attitudes of rejection or repugnance, and only 10% have a positive attitude. (Source: Roma Children Participation in Education – Problems, Solutions and Actors; 2002).

“Roma” school buildings are older and more overcrowded than other schools, and often lack a library. Such schools also have fewer qualified teachers and significantly higher teacher transfer rates, especially those for grades 1-4; 67% of “Roma” schools had a deficit of qualified teachers, and among schools with 50% or more Roma students this deficit exceeded 80%. (Source: Roma Children Participation in Education – Problems, Solutions and Actors; 2002).

 

 
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