The state of segregation in Bulgaria and Spain has been discussed during a Round table in Prague

The state of educational segregation, models for desegregation and practical and successful examples from Bulgaria Spain and Belgium were presented during the Round table “The state of Roma educational segregation: data and practical solutions from Bulgaria and Spain”. It was organized by Center Amalipe and Fundacion Secrtariado Gitano on October 24 in Prague, in the in the eve of the 15th European Roma Platform. The round table was a hybrid event, taking place both in person and in zoom. Representatives of NGO’s, European commission, FRA, teachers and school principals as well as educational mediators took part in it.
The round table was organized as a concluding event of the project No Segregation implemented by Amalipe and FSG, with the support of the EC, DG Justice. The main outcomes of the projects were presented: maps of educational segregation at local level in Bulgaria and Spain, comprehensive models for desegregation in urban areas, rural areas, models for avoiding secondary segregation and for integration of migrant Roma children in western European countries.
Deyan Kolev, chairman of center Amalipe, presented the main conclusion from the survey of segregated institution in Bulgaria. It covers all schools and kindergarten in Bulgaria and was carried out in close cooperation with the Ministry of education and since. The survey points out that 185 primary schools and 150 professional gymnasiums (VET schools) function as segregated schools and their number is increasing.
Galina Sakarova, principal of “Trayko Simeonov” Secondary school in Shumen presented how the school has managed to revert the process of secondary segregation, to stop the so called “White flight” and to motivate Bulgarian children to enroll back. Short movie about this unique experience could be seen here.
Daniela Hristova, principal of “ P. R. Slaveykov” United school of Dzhulyunitza explained about her experience to raise the quality of education in this rural school and to maintain the mix ethnical composition of students in this school. Her presentation could be found here.
Both school experiences of Ms. Sakarova and Ms. Hristova are quite unique since in most of the cases rural school are becoming entirely “Roma” and the secondary segregation is very seldom. Nevertheless, the experience of both schools show that dedicated teachers and school principals, combined with introducing intercultural education, engagement of parents and increasing the activeness of the students could make a differences.
Belen Sanchez from Fundacion Secretariаdo Gitano presented the main findings from the research carried out in Spain. She also spoke about the school experience and the successful model in Spain. The presentation can be found here.
The round table was attended online by the entire unit of DG Employment responsible for Bulgaria and for Romania, as well as other national and EU institutions, teachers and field workers. The EC experts posed many questions and declared again their support for the educational desegregation. Deyan Kolev expressed his gratitude to DG Employment for their permanent supporting of the efforts of the Roma organization and Roma community, especially in the monitoring committees of ESF. The participants received books and brochures that present successful practices from Bulgaria, Spain and Belgium in the national languages plus English and Romanes.

The zoom record from the meeting can be found here.

More about No Segregation project you can find here.