The Permanent Representation of Hungary to the European Union organised a half-day seminar with the title of “High Quality Education for All – Seminar on the Education of Roma Children” on 27 November 2017, directly preceding the European Platform for Roma Inclusion.
Lívia Járóka, Vice–President of the European Parliament, Károly Czibere, Hungarian Minister of State for Social Affairs and Social Inclusion and Tibor Stelbaczky, Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative opened the seminar and actively participated in the discussion, together with representatives of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic and the Hungarian Ministry of Human Capacities. Representatives of the Member States, EU Institutions and NGOs were invited to participate at the seminar.
The aim of this event was to give experts of education and Roma inclusion an opportunity to discuss about the education of Roma children and to present measures of the Commission as well as the mentioned four Member States implemented within the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020 and within the Education and Training 2020 strategic framework. Participants were also able to learn concrete examples and personal life stories, bringing the experiences of everyday life closer to policy-makers.
The participants of the seminar all agreed that it is inevitable to actively support the participation of Roma children in high quality, inclusive education, starting from an early age, with early childhood education and care. Besides early intervention special emphasis was laid on the support and training of teachers and on the importance of cooperation between different sectors, stakeholders and services on all levels.
There was agreement that efforts in order to enhance the participation of Roma children in high quality education and to improve their success in school need to be continued on national as well as on European level. Member States and the EU should uphold ongoing work within the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies and the Education and Training 2020 strategic framework.
