Summary of project results
The project has developed a series of pilot actions that aimed to monitor, prevent and combat schools segregation, such as: the first monitoring methodology and an online system for monitoring school segregation in Romania. During the project, 5 local NGOs from 5 counties (Botosani, Iasi, Suceava, Vaslui and Neamt) were empowered as watchdogs towards segregation in education, through training and technical assistance programmes. Based on the monitoring results, the first report on segregation carried out in the last 5 years was drafted. This report underlined that out of 507 schools with a risk of school segregation involved in the monitoring process, only 292 (57.6%) provided necessary data to assess school segregation, both at school and at class level. A total of 100 schools approached during the monitoring process (19.7%, one in five schools) refused to provide data for assessing school segregation. In 51.8% of the localities monitored, it was found at least one form of school segregation. The results were illustrated in the form of an interactive map, which displays the results of segregation in each county, locality and school:
http://scoalapentrutoticopiii.cado.org.ro/harta-segregarii-scolare.html. Advocacy actions were initiated and implemented by the 5 local NGOs, targeting different types of school segregation, or the poor quality of educational services provided by the segregated residential schools. These actions continue also after the end of the project. The Centre for Legal Assistance submitted two complaints to the National Council of Combating Discrimination (CNCD) against segregation at school level in Iasi County and against segregation at class level in Suceava County. A series of actions aiming at raising awareness have been organised. These actions tackled the impact of segregation and discrimination on the equal right to education for Roma children. Among these actions, the most significant ones have been: (1) the County roundtables, attended by 202 representatives of local/county government, local NGOs, and educational experts, (2) World Coffee activities for parents, attended by 224 Roma and non-Roma parents, (3) information sessions regarding the impact of segregation in the school community, attended by 145 teachers, and (4) the competition called “My colleague”, with 160 children participating.