Macedonia’s Roma Realizing Mandate for “Education for All”
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| Attentive Roma pupils listen to a classroom lecture. |
When USAID initiated its Roma Education Program (REP) in 2004, the situation regarding Roma education was alarming. It was characterized by very limited preschool attendance, significant drop-out in the course of primary education, small representation in secondary education, and scarce presence in higher education.
USAID, through REP, helps Roma students remain in school, and improve their school performance and attendance through targeted activities at each level of education. Roma students have received scholarships to attend high school and were supported by mentors.
These scholarships enabled Roma families to afford the necessary expenses for the education of their children, which normally represented a great burden for their very modest family budget. Additionally, the program ensured that each student was provided with the support of an individual mentor and help in developing his or her learning skills in addressing school-related and personal problems.
Of the 262 students that began high school in 2004 and received four years of USAID support, 198 successfully graduated in 2008. Perhaps even more remarkable is that more than 60 percent of the Roma students who were enrolled in REP have gone on to university studies.
The majority of Roma students believe that the program not only helped them to complete their education but also prepared them for further education and their future life. “The Roma
Education Program helped me to develop as a person,” one student said. “I feel more secure and more motivated to make something out of my life.”
REP attracted the attention of Macedonian state institutions, resulting in the creation of an additional 620 secondary school students with scholarships for the 2008-2009 school year. The
program has also increased broader acceptance of the Roma people. For example, the students’ mentors, most of whom are from other ethnic groups, reported that their stereotypes and prejudices diminished as they got to know the Roma students better. Not only is this project providing a valuable contribution to the enhancement of the educational level of the Roma population in Macedonia, but it also represents a significant step towards a more fully integrated society.
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