THE ROMA EDUCATION FUND

Can you believe it! Approximately 80% of Roma children in Romania do not attend preschool. While enrollment in primary education in Romania is 93% for the population as a whole, Roma children account for approximately 80% of the 7% who do not attend primary education. In Bulgaria, there are 106 schools and kindergartens attended exclusively by Roma. In one county of Hungary, Roma account for more than 90% of students attending schools with special education curricula.

Can you believe it! In Slovakia, the share of Roma children reported in special schools exceeds that in regular schools by a factor of almost 14, with approximately 20% of Romani children initially enrolled in mainstream primary education leaving for special education between grades 1 and 2. In Bulgaria, Roma children account for 20.6% of children entering primary school, but only 7.2% of all students in grade 8. In Serbia more than 30% school aged Roma are not in school and 50% of Roma children do not continue primary education beyond 4 th grade In Macedonia 43% of Roma children do not complete 8 years of primary education

What is the Roma Education Fund Created in the framework of the Decade of Roma inclusion as a Swiss and a Hungarian Foundation ( May 12, 2005 and February 17, 2006 respectively) Office in Budapest Country Facilitators in 5 countries Included in all the main international forum discussing Roma inclusion: council of Europe, EU commission, UNESCO) REF is establishing strong partnerships with Western European Roma organizations and networks (e.g Gitanos in Spain) 70% of the staff are Roma

Objectives of the Roma Education Fund Closing the education outcome gap between Roma and Non-Roma Influence institutional changes in education systems and policy reforms for Roma inclusion Foster Roma participation Document and disseminate best practices on both policy reforms and programs

REF Financing ( ) million Euro committed OSI Founding member ( 35 % of financing World Bank Founding member 16% of financing) Bilaterals: (Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, UK, Germany, Hungary, Spain, Greece, Ireland, Slovenia) Network of European Foundations: (Rememberance and Future Foundation, Freudenberg, Evens,Barrow Caldbury, Mott) Private sector and individuals (eg. Putumayo World Music Company)

Programs managed by the Roma Education Fund Grants for projects and programs Reimbursable grants for facilitating access to EU Structural Funds Capacity Building and policy development program Communication and advocacy program University scholarships for Roma students

Grants 75 projects supported by REF grants in 12 countries (12 million Euro committed and 7 million disbursed) 1.7 years in average length. 145,000 Euro average size Cover all levels of education Implemented by NGOs, Governments and public institutions Cover pilots, programs for scaling-up good projects and research/policy development Elaborated mechanisms of field monitoring, with very careful follow-up on finance and procurement and rating system

Capacity building, policy development and communication Country analysis and REF working directions: 8 countries Study on expected long term budgetary benefits of Roma inclusion in education Policy note on Serbia pre-school 6 other studies and evaluations under way High demand for policy papers and advice and exchange of experience Large conference in Budapest 450 participants from 25 countries Intense policy dialogue with officials

Targeting European Union Structural Funds Pilot reimbursable grant mechanism ( 25 grants) TA to agencies managing Structural Funds Commenting on National Action Plans and other national strategies and programs Building up capacity of Roma NGOs to access Structural Funds Lobbying national agencies to create specific financial lines for Education of Roma

Scholarships Taking responsibility for Roma Scholarship Program created by the Open Society Institute (800 scholarships a year in 15 countries in accredited universities) Law and Humanities Scholarship program financed by the German Remembrance, Responsibility and Future Foundation in Moldova, Poland, Russia and Ukraine) 56 scholarships a year with intensive mentoring and support New Roma Health Scholarship Program to be launched in 2008

Major challenges Lack of access to pre-school education Segregation in Roma only schools Lack of a multicultural and inclusive approaches to education Scandalous system of Roma oriented to special schools for mentally disabled Weak economic support to students in secondary and university education Lack of adequately trained teachers Poor monitoring of discrimination cases

Vision for the future Priority on evaluation and country monitoring Strengthen policy advice and participatory learning Focus on scaling up and make a national impact Advocacy to maintain commitment Show that success are common in Roma Education and that solution exist

Vision for the future EU, REF partnership Leverage structural funds in EU countries Expanding to other countries in order to include more diverse experience Expanding partnerships: Gitanos, Research institutions, Brookings, OECD, Council of Europe Strengthen REF Office