Serbia - The Education of Roma Children within Schools for Children with Developmental Difficulties (Research)

In Serbia, as elsewhere in the region, the overrepresentation of Roma in the system of special education, especially in schools for children with mental disabilities, has been identified as an endemic problem, notably in the 2007 report on Equal Access to Quality Education for Roma in Serbia. The real extent of the misplacement of Roma children in special schools remains unclear however, due to the lack of sufficient reliable data and in-depth, primary research into the root causes of segregation. A team of researchers will therefore undertake field research and collect primary data at an unprecedented level in order to address this gap.

Project Title:
The Education of Roma Children within Schools for Children with Developmental Difficulties in Serbia – A Research Project

Carried out by:
The Center for Interactive Pedagogy (Centar za interaktivnu pedagogiju)

Timeline:
Report to be finalized by December 2008, and available in January 2009

Output:

• Online report in English and Serbian
• Methodology / Research description
• Country report outline and Template
• Other deliverables

Project description:

In Serbia, as in other countries in Central and Southeastern Europe, the overrepresentation of Roma in the system of special education - especially in schools for children with mental disabilities - has been identified as an endemic problem and an obstacle to access to quality education. Data show that many Roma children are sent to special schools because they lack sufficient knowledge of the majority language, because of social and educational deprivation, and because existing testing instruments do not take into account specific cultural issues and backgrounds.

Previous research and documentation has provided information and data on schools, curricula, and categorisations. But most of it has lacked in-depth, primary research into the root and systemic causes of this endemic form of segregation. The real extent of the misplacement of Roma children in special schools in Serbia therefore remains unclear.

The research project "Education of Roma Children within Schools for Children with Developmental Difficulties in Serbia" aims to address this gap, exploring the problem from different angles and points of view. The primary research will provide a better understanding of the percentages of Roma represented in special school, as well as new data on other important and relevant issues.

Background

This project is a follow-up to two EUMAP monitoring reports which highlight the phenomenon of Roma children’s overrepresentation in schools for children with intellectual disabilities as a major problem.

The reports are:

• Equal Access to Quality Education for Roma, in eight countries
• Access to Education and Employment for People with Intellectual Disabilities, in twelve countries

The misplacement of Roma children in special schools is a way to segregate Roma children from non Roma children. It also diverts resources intended for children with intellectual disabilities towards children with no disabilities.

The real extent of the misplacement of Roma children in special schools remains however unclear in the region, and entirely unknown in a number of countries. Serbia is one country where more reliable data and information is needed.

Methodology

The research will combine a literature review with the collection of primary data to answer the research questions. It reviews the system of special education in Serbia, and how it functions within the overall education system, providing the context and information for the overall report.

The research also collects primary data at an unprecedented level, reviewing a sample of approximately 25% of all special schools in Serbia. Due to a lack of reliable data, it is not possible to say the exact number of special schools in Serbia, although it is estimated to be around 80. Primary data is gathered in four main areas:

• The population of special schools and special classes within mainstream schools;
• Assessment procedures: the application of existing regulations and guidelines on placement of children in special schools in practice; evaluation of the diagnostic tools in use;
• Outcomes: completion/dropout rates of special schools, class repetition rates, number/proportion of graduates with jobs (or other measure of employability);
• Cost effectiveness: compare the costs of sending a child through special school, compared to a child in mainstream school, including the draw on social welfare benefits by graduates and by those who do not complete school.

A publication including the research findings will expose this phenomenon in such detail for the first time in Serbia. It will be used as a basis for advocacy. The publications will become available online by January 2009 in both English and Serbian.

Team

The project is carried out under the direction of Milena Mihajlović – Director of the Center for Interactive Pedagogy (CIP), Lead Researcher

Field Researchers:

• Gordana Djigic - Psychologist in primary school in Nis; previously counselor in MoE Local Department in Nis
• Danijela Djordjevic - Psychologist in primary school in Vranje
• Angelina Skarep - Psychologist, counselor in MoE Local Department in Valjevo
• Slavica Vasic - President/director of the Roma NGO Children's Centre "Little Prince" (Deciji centar Mali Princ), Belgrade
• Bozidar Nikolic - President/director of the Roma NGO Education and Cultural Roma Community Romanipen (Obrazovno-kulturna zajednica Roma – Romanipen), Kragujevac
• Zoran Petrovic - President/director of the Roma NGO "Hands of Friendship" (Ruke prijateljstva), Kraljevo