Roma Kindergarten handed over to municipality
Early education is key
"I like the kindergarten because I can meet my friends there and learn how to write and read," says Sunaja, a young Roma girl. Birhana, another five-year-old, is happy to demonstrate her ability to write the numbers one through nine. She then begins singing a song and the rest of the class joins in.
Since its opening in May 2001, 45 children from two to six years of age have attended the Roma kindergarten in Gjilan/Gnjilane. The school has given the children a sense of structure to their everyday lives. It aims to equip them with basic social and educational skills which can help their interaction with non-Roma peers as they grow older.
"The kindergarten is important for Roma children because, for at least three hours a day, they have a place away from the street where they can play and become better prepared for primary school," says Altana, a teacher at the school. "They start learning how to read and write and they can play in a safe place with their friends."
By involving Roma children in school life at an early age, the school aims to help decrease the high drop-out rates among the Kosovo Roma pupils. At the Roma kindergarten in Gjilan/Gnjilane, all those who have turned six have enrolled in primary school. The school enrollment rate of the Roma community is among the lowest in Kosovo and the drop-out rate among the highest. Traditional customs favouring early marriages, a shortage of qualified Roma teachers and discrimination are among the contributing factors.
From OSCE project to local institution
Along with the non-governmental organization (NGO) Balkan Sunflowers, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo has financially supported the kindergarten since its establishment in May 2001. At the request of the OSCE Mission, the municipal authority made a formal commitment to take over the school as of January 2004. But at the end of 2003, the pledge was revoked and the Mission was asked to continue funding the school. The Mission chose instead to boost its lobbying campaign for the hand-over, reminding the municipal authorities of their responsibilities and the best interests of the children.
A working group led by the OSCE Mission was established comprising the UN Civil Administration, municipal officials, representatives of the Roma community and various international organizations and NGOs who have supported the project. These include Movement for Peace, Balkan Sunflowers, Disarmament and Liberty, the American Refugee Committee and the International Rescue Committee, as well as the International Organization for Migration and UNICEF.
The group's sessions coupled with meetings organized by the Roma representatives, resulted in the final decision of the Gjilan/Gnjilane municipality to follow through with its original commitment. All administrative and financial responsibility was therefore handed over to the local authorities in April 2004 - a big step towards ensuring the sustainability of the school.
Engaging the Roma community
The kindergarten has been a crucial tool for the development of the Roma community in the town. Strongly motivated, the Roma representatives were exceptionally active from January to April 2004. Not only did they lobby for the hand-over of the kindergarten to the municipality but they also made sure that classes continued during the stalemate in the private house of one of the teachers.
The OSCE Mission continues to support Kosovo's Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in fulfilling its obligations concerning the educational rights of minorities. Current initiatives targeting Kosovo Roma education include sponsoring catch-up classes in several municipalities, assisting the Ministry in preparing primary and secondary school curriculum in the Romany language and a summer course for the re-qualification of Kosovo Roma teachers.