Ostrava Municipality signed an agreement last year to work together with the Roma Education Fund in order to invest in the education of young Romani children in their earliest years.
Ostrava Municipality signed an agreement last year to work together with the Roma Education Fund in order to invest in the education of young Romani children in their earliest years. The Roma Education Fund is in the midst of managing a two-year project, Together to Preschool!, with its local partners, Beleza and White Rhinoceros, in order to help Romani children achieve their right to quality inclusive education in the Czech Republic. As schools reconvene this autumn, enrollment has increased, pointing to the outstanding need for quality, inclusive educational services.
By signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Roma Education Fund, Ostrava Municipality agreed to implement a comprehensive project to provide early childhood education and care services as well as assist with the school enrollment process. This policy change, including a financial contribution from Ostrava Municipality, has led to the establishment of two Mothers’ Clubs (Mamakluba), whereby children from socially-excluded communities learn the necessary skills for a successful start in the critical preschool and kindergarten years, including additional tutoring and components to generate an appetite for further education.
In the 2013-2014 school year the new Mothers’ Clubs have contributed to the enrollment of 30 Romani children in preschool from an initial of 65 young children participating in this complex program that harnesses the power and imagination of children’s books to bring learning into the mind and home. The work of REF’s implementing partners, Beleza and White Rhinoceros, have been critical to convincing Romani parents that their children should not only go to school but also have a right to go to quality inclusive education.
This school year, enrollment has increased to 137 families, with 109 children attending preschool clubs, 52 children enrolled in kindergartens over the last two school years and 19 children enrolled in mainstream elementary schools. Small as this number may seem, for Ostrava this is an important first step.
The exhibition of photojournalist Jana Baudysova’s work at Ostrava’s House of Culture presents a snapshot of the first steps of desegregation in action, the Mothers’ Clubs in action in an effort to raise awareness among the citizens of Ostrava about this first-time effort to address the education of Romani children segregated in basic schools and unable to reach educational or professional opportunities.
Ostrava House of Culture promoting the exhibition: http://www.dkmoas.cz/index.php?ID=4758 (in Czech language)
About Together to Preschool
For over eighteen months, mothers and their young children have been participating in a new Roma Education Fund project that aims to jumpstart quality inclusive education in the neighborhoods of Poruba and Marianske Hory-Hulvaky in Ostrava.
Following the model of previous Roma Education Fund interventions in early childhood development that have improved enrollment, attendance and school success for many Romani children, Together to Preschool now operates two Mamakluba sites for young Romani children and their guardians to access quality, inclusive educational services in Ostrava’s public schools.
Working together with local partners Beleza Ostrava o.s. and Bily Nosorozec o.p.s., with additional financial support from Ostrava Municipality, the Roma Education believes that investing now in young Romani children’s education is a smart investment and the Fund is very pleased to have Ostrava Municipality as its partner committed to and contributing to this common goal.
About the Roma Education Fund
The Roma Education was founded in 2006 by the Open Society Institute and the World Bank. Its mission is to close the gap in educational outcomes between Roma and non-Roma, through the design and implementation of policies and programs that support quality education for Roma including the desegregation of the school system.
Based in Budapest, the Roma Education Fund has five priorities: (1) expanding access to quality early childhood education and care, (2) improving primary education outcomes for Romani children between ages six and fourteen, (3) expanding access to and ensuring completion of and graduation from secondary education, (4) expanding access to, improve graduation levels and strengthen identity of Romani students in tertiary education and (5) second-chance programs for adult education and training.
The Roma Education Fund distributes grants; engages in research, advocacy and policy dialogue; provides scholarships and revolving loans; and also works as an implementing agency in 16 countries in the region.
For more information: www.romaeducationfund.org
About the Photographer
Prague-based photojournalist Jana Baudysova joined the Together to Preschool in the spring of 2014 to cover the passion for learning and play that are common to all children.
Partners implementing the Together to Preschool Project in Ostrava
Beleza Ostrava o.s.
Bily Nosorozec o.p.s. | White Rhinoceros
Supported by
The Roma Education Fund
https://www.romaeducationfund.org
Additional financial support from
Ostrava Municipality
https://www.ostrava.cz/en/o-meste
