Czech Government must foster equal access to quality education for Roma children, say participants at OSCE/ODIHR seminar

The seminar, co-organized with the Ministry for Human Rights, Equal Opportunities and Legislation and Slovo 21, a local NGO, brought together some 50 participants, including government officials, Roma parents, and representatives from civil society and the international community, to discuss the implementation of recommendations from ODIHR’s report following a 2012 field assessment visit to the Czech Republic.

Participants also reviewed measures taken by national and local authorities to improve equal access to quality education for Roma children in the country.

“Education is a fundamental human right. It is a key vehicle by which economically and socially marginalized communities, such as Roma, can lift themselves out of poverty and participate as full citizens,” said Mirjam Karoly, Head of the ODIHR Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues. “The Czech Government must end its practice of placing Roma children in special schools and promote inclusive education policies for all. If we do not take strong action now, future generations of Romani children will continue to be affected.”

“I am aware of the unacceptably high number of Roma children placed in so-called ‘practical schools’, which are intended for children with mild learning disabilities,” said Jiří Dienstbier, Minister of Human Rights, Equal Opportunities and Legislation. “It is impossible that one-third of children from a specific ethnic group could suffer from such disabilities. Equal access to education is one of my key priorities, and I am ready to work with the Ministry of Education on specific measures to address this problem.”

During the seminar, participants made recommendations to improve access for Roma children to secondary and tertiary education and presented good practices from other OSCE countries on ensuring inclusive education, as well as positive examples of combatting the segregation of Roma in schools.

The 2012 report “Equal Access to Quality Education for Roma Children: Field Assessment Visit to the Czech Republic” can be found at www.osce.org/odihr/96661.