ISSA Participates in Roma Decade Meeting on Preschool and Transition to Primary

 Between 19-20 November 2009 in Poprad, Slovak Republic, ISSA Executive Director Liana Ghent represented ISSA at a Decade of Roma Inclusion Meeting: Creativity and Innovation in the Education of Children from Socially Disadvantaged Backgrounds. Sponsored by the Decade’s Presidency of the Slovak Republic, the objective of the meeting was to present creative and innovative practices in the educational process of children and pupils from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, as well as to share knowledge and experiences from the integrated education of Roma children and pupils.

The main topic of discussion throughout the meeting was equal access to education, with a focus on pre-school education and the entry of children to primary education. The meeting began with presentations on three main topics, which were followed by parallel discussions in working groups:

• Key points and models of effective experience (practice) that are compatible with anti-discrimination, integration and human rights
• Effect of the environment on the learning of Roma children and youth: the role of the main factors of education and training (self-government, parents, school, community, etc.)
• Formal and informal education (tools and factors)

Liana Ghent presented From Tacit to Explicit: Nonformal and formal education as key factors for meaningful learning; Resources, Experience, and Approaches from ISSA.  Emphasizing the intrinsic value of each aspect of the “Golden Triangle 1” of formal, informal, and non-formal ECD, Ms. Ghent discussed ISSA’s initiatives, experiences, and knowledge gained from work, not only with Roma, but across the spectrum of ECD over the past decade.  Ms. Ghent concluded that because Roma children are entitled to high quality learning and development experiences which focus on the development of the whole child and not just academic competences in the early years, ISSA’s key messages to the group were:

• Roma communities and families should be supported to nurture and expand the potential of children and channel it to successful formal learning, with a special emphasis on very young children (birth to 3).  Comprehensive services must incorporate culture and the needs of families.
• Preparation for school is not about a single year preparatory class – it is a blend of diverse forms and experiences of informal, nonformal, and formal education, building the basis for successful learning throughout life. 
• Placing Roma children in special schools is a denial of the right to an education which supports development to their full potential
• Caregivers, teachers, and decision makers with “right minds and right hearts” will make a difference. Pre-service and in-service trainings, competences to work in multicultural context are needed, as well as policies supporting good practices for the benefit of all children.

The outcome of the international specialized seminar will be the issue of a collective volume of reports, contributions, and final recommendations in both Slovak and English languages, to be published in early 2010. ISSA ISSA is contributing an article to this publication.

For more information contact Liana Ghent at lghent@issa.hu.