RomanoNet supports the European Commission's challenge to the Czech Republic: Discrimination of Romani children in the schools must stop
The RomanoNet umbrella organization, which brings together 15 important nonprofit organizations in the Czech Republic, is joining the call of the European Commission (EC) for that country to correct its approach toward Romani children in the education system. Although the Czech Republic has ended the "special school" regime, RomanoNet says the EC is correctly pointing out that many Romani children are still segregated unfairly in separate classes or schools for children living with disabilities despite their right to equal access to education. Michal Miko, director of RomanoNet, informed news server Romea.cz of his organization's perspective. According to the EC, the country is not effectively addressing the problem of the segregation of Romani children in the schools that was the basis for Brussels opening an infringement proceeding against the country 10 years ago.
“This problem, in our country, has been dragging on for more than 10 years already. Some steps have been taken, but not enough of them. The Commission is correctly pointing out that the situation remains unsatisfactory. Romani children are still unfairly enrolled into special needs schools, which is unacceptable and violates EU norms,” Miko told Romea.cz.
RomanoNet has long warned of the need for deeper systemic reforms which would prevent the de facto segregation of Romani children in the Czech education system. The current situation in which Romani children remain excluded from mainstream education represents a violation of their fundamental rights while also endangering their futures.
“This call from the European Commission has got to be understood as a final warning. The Czech Republic must adopt specific measures to remedy the situation and ensure that no child is discriminated against on the basis of ethnicity. The current problems are not just a failure of the education system, but of the wider society, which is failing to guarantee equal opportunities to all children,” the RomanoNet director said.
RomanoNet is calling on the Government to immediately hold meetings that will lead to the elimination of segregation and the provision of equal access to a high-quality education for all children in compliance with European standards and values.
The Czech Republic, according to the EC, is not upholding the EU’s Race Equality Directive. That law strictly forbids discrimination on the basis of ethnicity in key areas of life, including education. Brussels sent the country its call to resolve the disproportionate, systematic placement of Romani pupils into separate schools for children living with disabilities 10 years ago. According to the EC, while the Czech Republic has ended the “special school” or “practical school” regime, children of Romani origin remain disproportionately represented in separate classes or schools for pupils with developmental disorders or disabilities of some kind.
The EC has now sent the Czech Republic an additional letter of formal notice on this issue. Prague has two months to respond and resolve the deficiencies raised by the EC.
According to research published in March, there are almost 80 schools in the Czech Republic where most of the pupils are Romani. Almost 20 of those are attended exclusively by Romani boys and girls. During the most recent school year, according to Education Ministry statistics, there was a total of 4,276 primary schools in the Czech Republic.
