Description
One of the challenges facing Romania's Haghig Commune is their Roma population's unequal access to formal education. Fermei, the local Roma community, makes up 193 households and in total 702 people. The Roma population has difficulties in finding stable jobs, and most have not completed any formal education. Roma children are likely to drop out of school for several reasons linked to poverty. The objective of the project is to provide socio-educational services in order to increase access to education for children and youth in the Fermei community. The project aims to establish of a day centre providing educational activities for 24 Roma children and 80 Roma youths. 48 parents will also be involved. The activities organised at the centre will include social care services, assistance and education for preschool children, formal "second chance" educational services, including trade school for youth with incomplete mandatory general education, as well as job qualifications for youths who have completed mandatory general education.
Summary of project results
In Hăghig Commune, Covasna County, the Roma families from “Fermei” neighbourhood consisted from, at the time of the beginning of the project, of 193 households. The local school reported a significant degree of school abandonment and a further risk of school abandonment among the various age groups, with a total rate of school abandonment of 26% at commune level. Parents, having themselves a low education level, were not aware of the advantage of taking and keeping children in school. Regarding the youth aged between 14-29 years old, at the beginning of the project 17 youth had abandoned school during primary school, 41 youth during the gymnasium, while only 30 had graduated compulsory education. The project aimed to increase the access and participation of Roma children from “Fermei” neighbourhood in pre-school and school education, increase the access of youth to formal education and certification of vocational competences and achieve a higher awareness and involvement of parents regarding the importance of education for their children. A day centre has been built and outfitted through the project, along with an outdoor playground. A total of 37 children, out of which 35 Roma, have benefitted from assistance and care, including daily meals, after the kindergarten programme. A total of 80 youth, out of which 78 Roma, have attended a „second chance” type programme (those who had not graduated compulsory education), have benefitted from vocational training courses (those with minimum education level) or from certification of vocational competences acquired in non-formal activities. 104 parents, out of which 68 Roma, have participated individual or group counselling sessions on themes regarding raising and education of children. In parallel, non-formal education activities have taken place, involving children, youth and parents: education for health, managing their own budget, ecology education, celebrating birthdays at the centre. The project contributed to a decreased rate of school abandonment in Hăghig Commune, improved chances of integration on the labour market of youth from community and an increased degree of involvement of parents in the education of their children.
Summary of bilateral results