ROMA INCLUSION IN EDUCATION

The aim of this project was to facilitate the development of the Strategy for integration of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities into the Education Component 2007-2017 in Kosovo. The integration of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities into education is one of the components of a more comprehensive strategy for integration of these communities in Kosovo, which is under the supervision of the Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo. The drafting of the strategy in the field of education has been sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) and supported by the Kosovo Foundation for Open Society (KFOS). The process of development of the education component has been coordinated by the Kosovo Education Center (KEC) and characterized by a wide participation of all parties involved: the government, representatives of roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities, civil society, political parties, international organizations engaged in children’s and human rights (OSCE and UNICEF), engaged in constant efforts to reach consensus on all key issues. The development of this document is influenced by the fact that the Government of Kosovo has already developed and approved the Strategy for Development of Pre-University Education for the years 2007-2017. Both of these documents emphasize pre-university involvement in education by providing equal opportunities for Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in education. This strategic plan has enveses 25 measures which can be further drafted into dozens of concrete projects that can achieve the fulfilment of the mission of this Strategy. The document was approved by the Ministry of Education in October 2007.