Albania From Challenges to Opportunities
A call for action to include all children in quality and inclusive education was flagged during the National Conference “From Challenges to Opportunities” held on March 24th, 2015 in Tirana. The conference aimed to discuss about the challenges Roma children face in enjoying their right to education and to develop a set of recommendations for action to ensure that every Roma child has equal opportunities to education.
As to statistics 40.3% of Roma community are illiterate and only 16% of them have completed the full cycle of compulsory education.
"In Save the Children daily work in support to Roma children, we still find Roma children who do not attend school, who stay or beg in the street, alone or with their families, who can not access public services and moreover have no information on the existing systems and the mechanisms of how to benefit from them. Children and young people from the Roma community with whom we have contact with express hopelessness about their future, chances of being equal citizens in the community and society. What we notice is the slow implementation of the strategy and plans to help the Roma community, this due to limited allocation of human and financial resources. Despite the good will, a better coordination between different government institutions and civil society actors is a must. Availability of adequate resources at local and national level as well as increased awareness to solve the Roma community issues remain our common challenges. In this regard, the central government has an important role to ensure the coordination of actions undertaken by various stakeholders and promote those that have succeeded. Save the Children works to integrate into the education system Roma and Egyptian children for more than 10 years. Currently we work with communities in Tirana, Korca, Gjirokastra and Shkodra - focusing on a holistic approach prioritizing Education, Protection and provision of social services. Models that Save the Children implements in cooperation with Regional Education Authorities evidence satisfactory data of the integration of children into the education system due to the methodology such as:
• Cultural Mediation - young Roma / Egyptian serve as facilitators and mobilizing for change in their communities - they are accepted and are a bridge between the community and the organization, being at the same time good models for children. They ensure that parents understand the importance of education and benefit from public services (education, social and health).
• Inclusiveness in public compulsory education - focuses in supporting educational institutions, children, parents, aiming to welcome and integrate Roma and Egyptian children in public education (school and kindergardetens). In our project included schools in Korca, Gjirokastra, Tirana and Shkodra we have reached Roma parents to be part of the Parents Councils and Roma children to be part of the Children's Government.
• Parenting Program that focuses on working with Roma parents to strengthen and increase their capacity in terms of healthy upbringing of children and their education.
These projects have brought real change for children and parents of Roma and non-Roma communities. Our common challenge is to offer equal opportunities for all, including Roma. Provison of quality and inclusive Education to children is a priority for Save the Children and due to Save the Children interventions real change is achieved at the local level, in schools and kindergartens. Roma children do not need special treatment, equal treatment is their entitled right" said Anila Meco, Save the Children Country Director during her speech in the Conference.
The conclusions and recommendations of the Conference will constitute the agenda for the Ministry of Education and Sports to ensure that future reforms, for the integration of Roma children into a quality education system, are successful and sustainable. This conference was organized by Ministry of Education and Sports, Albanian Coalition for Child Education, UNICEF, Save the Children and Global Campaign for Education.
