Title: Roma students and their inclusion in schools

Authors: Plamen Mirazchiyski; Jožek Horvat Sandreli; Špela Javornik; Veli Kreci; Ana Rosser-Limiñana; Anica Novak Trunk

Addresses: Educational Research Institute, Gerbičeva 62, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia ' Institute for Romological Studies, Education and Culture, Ulica arhitekta Novaka 13, 9101 Murska Sobota, Slovenia ' Educational Research Institute, Gerbičeva 62, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia ' South East European University, Ilindenska 335, Tetovo 1200, Macedonia ' Department of Communication and Social Psychology, University of Alicante, Carr. de San Vicente del Raspeig, s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain ' International School for Social and Business Studies, Mariborska cesta 7, 3000 Celje, Slovenia

Abstract: The article discusses the role of education in Roma inclusion. Education is the basic right of all children. Diversity is seen as an advantage and opportunity to make schools more inclusive, but educational inequality is greatest among the Roma. Education has an important role, as schools work on integration processes. Research on teachers' attitudes towards Roma children show that their willingness to work with Roma students needs strengthening. First, we present the current situation in the inclusion of Roma in schools. Next, we focus on analysis of the RoMigSc project data related to inclusion of Roma children at school. The analysis showed that educators and volunteers do not see Roma students as well-included in schools; the main obstacle for this is their low school attendance. Also, there is low cooperation between non-Roma and Roma students and parents, and Roma parents and schools, despite the schools' efforts.

Keywords: Roma children; social inclusion; school inclusion; integration; education; learning; parental cooperation; student cooperation; school enrolment; school attendance; RoMigSc project.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2022.123810

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2022 Vol.32 No.1, pp.70 - 88

Received: 10 Apr 2021
Accepted: 03 May 2021
Published online: 04 Jul 2022 *

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