The new project “Stay at School: Action for Inclusion of Roma in Primary Education” was launched by the Foundation Open Society – Macedonia in partnership with the Foundation for Educational and Cultural Initiatives Step by Step and the Association Center for Educational Support of children “Dendo Vas”, funded by the European Union through the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of North Macedonia.
The project, which will be implemented by October 2022, aims to provide equal access to education for Roma children, but will also motivate children to attend classes regularly and enrol in the next grades. At the same time, the project aims to provide an inclusive learning environment where diversity is respected and where all children feel welcome and equally stimulated to succeed.
The project will provide scholarships for Roma children enrolled in first grade, which will enable the inclusion of as many Roma children as possible in elementary education, while reducing the financial cost of Roma families associated with their children’s education.
In parallel with this activity, the project will also provide support for the Roma community by providing instructors in municipalities with the largest Roma community, who will work closely with Roma families and the schools. They will help in the process of identifying children who are out of the educational system, enrolling them in schools, regular attendance and successful transition to the next grades.
Support for schools as one of the components of the project will provide for the transformation of classrooms into a more inclusive learning environment that will respect diversity and stimulate the development of all children equally. Planned activities include the implementation of small projects in the identified schools that, through play and joint participation in school activities, will foster interaction and knowledge sharing among students, as well as education and social justice training for teachers.
As part of the project, several educational events and distribution of materials are planned, as well as an educational media campaign aimed at informing and encouraging Roma families to enroll their children in a school they will regularly attend and to promote the general benefits of education on the quality of life.
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1 November 2019