DISCRIMINATION IN EUROPE’S SCHOOLS

SPECIAL REPORT | JUNE - JULY 2021 https://eurac.tv/9Ttp

With the support of DISCRIMINATION IN EUROPE’S SCHOOLS

SPECIAL REPORT | JUNE - JULY 2021 https://eurac.tv/9Ttp

Policymakers across Europe have wrestled for many years with the question of whether and how schools discriminate or disadvantage certain ethnic groups, and how to mitigate this.

The question has been brought into sharper focus by the Black Lives Matter protests and the effects of the COVID–19, which has forced learning away from the classroom to online.

This special report looks at the discrimination and disadvantage that exists in Europe’s schools and wid- er education systems, and what policy initiatives are likely to take root in the coming years. Contents

EU race relations bill lacks teeth, twenty years on 4 EU faces challenge of closing Roma 6 education divide UK reports on discrimination in schools open up debate on 8 deprivation Counting the cost of low 10 teacher diversity Pandemic takes toll on refugees’ 12 school access 4 SPECIAL REPORT | DISCRIMINATION IN EUROPE’S SCHOOLS | EURACTIV EU race relations bill lacks teeth, twenty years on

By Benjamin Fox | EURACTIV.com

Unconscious racial bias has led to adverse health and social outcomes in Black, Asian and other ethnic minority groups. [SHUTTERSTOCK]

wenty years ago this week, s for school segregation of Roma manifestations of racism and the EU adopted its landmark children. These procedures are still xenophobia”. TRacial Equality Directive ongoing, however. aimed at prohibiting discrimination The Commission, in its seven based on race or ethnic origin. Yet The Commission has promised year review of the implementation critics of the directive say that it lacks to report on the application of the of the directive published in March, teeth, with little pressure on national Directive this year and follow up also found that although the number authorities to enforce and police its with any possible legislation by 2022, of complaints about discrimination implementation, and no requirement with any revisions likely to focus increased slightly since the 2014 for national action plans. on toughening up provisions on report, “under-reporting remains a discrimination against Roma children problem. Surveys show that those who The slow pace of sanctions for in education. felt discriminated against would not non–compliance has also frustrated easily report the incident.” civil society activists. Since 2014, In February, the European the Commission has initiated Commission told five EU countries The EU’s “legal and policy infringement procedures against the to “fully transpose” into national law framework focused on singular, , and Hungary EU rules that criminalise “serious individual acts of discrimination or

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Continued from Page 4 racist violence” stated civil society The Action plan also calls for group Equinox Initiative for Racial consistent and improved collection of Justice in March, adding that this equality data, disaggregated by racial focus makes it harder to use the or ethnic origin, one of the main legislation to tackle structural racism. obstacles to assessing discrimination across the bloc. However, there is, as According to surveys carried out yet, no suggestion that this could be a by the EU Agency for Fundamental legally binding requirement. Rights, last year, 45% of people of North African descent, 41% of Roma Meanwhile, all member states and 39% of people of sub-Saharan will be asked to nominate an expert African descent said that they had to participate in a Commission-led faced discrimination within the working group. context of education.

Having been quick to respond to the racial justice campaigns led by the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, the European Commission proposed an EU Anti-Racism Action Plan last September, which laid out policies to address structural racism and provide financial support for national policies. The plan also served as the EU executive’s first unambiguous acknowledgement that structural racism exists across the bloc and within the EU institutions.

“It brings our policies against racism to the next level, mobilising all tools at our disposal. We are stepping up action, not only with better rules, but with European funding, with police cooperation, with our education policy, with external action and much more,” said European Commission President .

That also includes a new position as EU anti–racism coordinator, Michela Moua. However, it is still unclear what the scope of Moua’s mandate will be, prompting a group of 72 civil society organisations to welcome the appointment with the proviso that Moua “needs a clear mandate and civil society participation to deliver on the Anti-Racism Action Plan.” 6 SPECIAL REPORT | DISCRIMINATION IN EUROPE’S SCHOOLS | EURACTIV EU faces challenge of closing Roma education divide

By Benjamin Fox | EURACTIV.com

High drop–out rates, absenteeism and segregation have long been the hallmark of education access for Roma children in Europe. [EPA/KOBI GIDEON]

ncreasing the number of Roma “It is now up to member states to are significantly higher than for other children in early childhood demonstrate a real commitment to ethnic groups, despite the fact that Ieducation by at least 50%, is at tackling antigypsyism – as specific early school-leaving among Roma the heart of a 10-year plan on Roma form of racism against Roma people children have fallen by 19%. equality, inclusion and participation – with a focus on non-discrimination, across the EU, announced by the civil society participation and fighting Despite EU laws against European Commission in March. poverty and social exclusion of Roma,” discrimination, the segregation of said Gabriela Hrabanova, Director Roma children in special schools The EU executive also set a target of the European Roma Grassroots and classes continues in a number of of cutting the proportion of Roma Organisations Network (ERGO countries across the bloc. children who attend segregated Network). primary schools by at least half in The European Commission against member states with a significant High drop–out rates, absenteeism Racism and Intolerance has expressed Roma population by the end of this and segregation have long been the concerns about the segregation decade, as part of a recommendation hallmark of education access for Roma of Roma in education in its most on Roma equality, inclusion and children in Europe. recent reports on Hungary, , participation which was endorsed by , Slovakia, Croatia, the Czech member states. Absenteeism and early-school- Republic and Slovenia. leaving rates among Romani pupils

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Under the EU’s Racial Equality education access for Roma children. Directive, children from all racial or ethnic backgrounds must have Lessons shifting from the equal access to education. In classroom to online has excluded reality, however, exclusion and many Roma children from school due discrimination against Roma children to lack of internet and or computer starts at a young age. access, the loss of social aid which was conditional on the participation Only 1 in 2 Romani children attend of children in home schooling in pre-school or kindergarten, and 50% some countries has exacerbated the of Romani people between the ages of situation, ECRI notes. 6 and 24 are not in education. “The COVID-19 crisis has According to the Roma Integration exposed and deepened underlying Strategies report 2019, 68% of Roma structural inequalities in almost children left school early, and only all policy areas, including access to 18% of Roma children go on to higher education, employment, housing education. and healthcare,” said Maria Daniella Marouda, chair of the Council of Only 21% of Romani women and Europe’s anti-racism commission. 25% of Romani men aged 16–24 have completed secondary education or Franz has called for new funding higher. of digital devices in order to avoid a growing digital divide between That, in turn, drives a low rate of children as part of the EU’s Digital only 43% of Roma being in a form of Education Action Plan. paid employment. “They Roma children also face In a resolution drafted in educational consequences, as they September 2020 by Romeo Franz, rarely have access to distant or a Green MEP of Romani origin, the remote learning or home schooling European Parliament called on the at all,” said Franz, adding that “this EU executive to table legislation on ultimately leads to educational gaps the Equality, Inclusion, Participation or total education breakdown in times of Romani people and Combating of a pandemic like COVID-19.” Antigypsyism.

Franz contends that the EU’s previous strategies on increasing Roma integration have under- delivered because the responsibility for implementing them lies solely in the hands of national governments.

PANDEMIC DIVIDE

Meanwhile, the measures to continue education provision amid the COVID-19 pandemic has opened an already yawning divide in 8 SPECIAL REPORT | DISCRIMINATION IN EUROPE’S SCHOOLS | EURACTIV UK reports on discrimination in schools open up debate on deprivation

By Benjamin Fox | EURACTIV.com

shutterstock_classroom_600x400.jpg

he question of whether the UK’s that children belonging to ethnic out. education systems discriminate minorities did as well or better than Tagainst ethnic minorities has white pupils in compulsory education, Education consultant Tony Sewell, become highly politically charged and up to the age of 16, with the exception who chaired the commission, said divisive, reflecting tensions that exist of black Caribbean students, but overt in the report’s foreword that “we no across much of the . racism within society still remained. longer see a Britain where the system is deliberately rigged against ethnic In response to the Black Lives Even so, the report argued that minorities.” Matter protests last year, the UK curbing discrimination in school had government tasked a Commission on “transformed British society over Conducting similar studies in the Race and Ethnic Disparities to report the last 50 years into one offering far European Union is challenging since on race relations and discrimination greater opportunities for all.” many European countries do not in the country’s institutions. break down data along racial or ethnic It concluded that family structure lines out of concern over privacy or One of the commission’s findings and social class had a bigger impact discrimination. when it reported in March was than race on how people’s lives turned

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Last month, a second row that that schools should not teach about erupted over a separate report by white privilege, arguing that the the UK parliament’s Education phrase “reinforces the notion that Committee, which warned that white everyone and everything around pupils from poorer backgrounds had ethnic minorities is racist,” and makes been “neglected” by the education the majority white population of the system for decades. UK “more conscious about their race […] creating a less cohesive society.” In 2019, just 17.7% of white British pupils eligible for free school meals, The reports have prompted an one of the definitions of deprivation angry backlash from opposition used by the UK government, achieved lawmakers and civil society groups. at least a strong pass in English and maths at GCSE, compared with 28% The opposition Labour party for black pupils eligible for free school disowned the Education Committee meals. report, with lawmaker Kim Johnson, accusing Conservative MPs, who The committee also found that have a majority on the committee, of just 16% of white pupils on free “cherry-picking data” to “create a bit school meals went on to university, of a culture war”. compared to 59% of Black African and Bangladeshi children on free Meanwhile, Sam Kasumu resigned school meals. as Boris Johnson’s adviser for civil society and communities days ahead The committee’s findings have of the Sewell report’s launch, claiming been seized upon by some ministers that the government was taking a in the Conservative government direction towards “politics steeped in as proof that more focus should be division.” given to white children from deprived backgrounds, and to downplaying the In the meantime, the perception notion that minority disadvantage of racial discrimination in education should be viewed through the prism remains high. A survey published of white discrimination. last October by the YMCA, based on interviews with 557 people of Black In response to the report, Prime or mixed ethnicity aged between 16 Minister Boris Johnson said that and 30 years, found that 49% feel ministers should consider its that racism is the largest hurdle to recommendations and assess “the academic attainment. Half of those implications for future government interviewed also said that teacher policy.” perceptions are the biggest barrier to educational success. Education committee chairman, Robert Halfon, a Conservative The YMCA research also suggested lawmaker, said that concepts such as that these experiences continue “white privilege” were “alienating to beyond education, with 86% saying disadvantaged white communities.” they had experienced racist language in the workplace and more than 54% Equalities Minister Kemi believing that bias or prejudice – such Badenoch, herself born to Nigerian as their name on a CV – is the main parents, said on Saturday (26 June) barrier to getting into employment. 10 SPECIAL REPORT | DISCRIMINATION IN EUROPE’S SCHOOLS | EURACTIV Counting the cost of low teacher diversity

By Benjamin Fox | EURACTIV.com

EU leaders agreed at a 2009 summit that they were committed to “attracting and retaining the best teachers in underperforming schools, strengthen leadership, increase number of teachers with a migrant background”. But little progress appears to have been made.

U leaders agreed at a 2009 that member states collect data along among those who consider themselves summit that they were ethnic lines poses a major obstacle to be ‘colour blind’ and do not collect Ecommitted to “attracting to the EU’s commitment to apply the data. and retaining the best teachers in principle of equality and prohibit underperforming schools, strengthen discrimination in schools, provisions The lack of data also makes it tough leadership, increase the number of that lie at the heart of the Racial to gauge the effect of low diversity teachers with a migrant background”. Equality Directive. among school teachers on attainment. But little progress appears to have been made since then. A decade on, it is almost impossible However, research in to gauge whether or not these in 2009 indicated that mainstream With a limited mandate in the field aspirations have been matched with teachers gave lower grades to pupils of education policy, EU competence is results. with names that clearly indicated limited to supporting and promoting an ethnic minority background, the educational policies of its member Only seven EU countries provide according to a European Commission states. information based on formally report on diversity in teaching. collected data about the number of But in the case of non– students and teachers from minority Under the Education Trade Unions discrimination policy, the lack of groups, with the EU’s two largest and Inclusive Schools programme, data and the EU’s ability to demand member states, and Germany, trade unions across Europe work

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Continued from Page 10 together to ensure that teachers, a migrant background is particularly academics and other education low. personnel are adequately prepared and supported in dealing with diverse Recent ETUCE research has also classrooms. indicated that teachers and other education personnel often do not What data exists points to a feel prepared and supported to teach continued low level of diversity of students from diverse socioeconomic, the teaching workforce in relation cultural and linguistic backgrounds. to migrant and ethnic minority backgrounds. A joint statement by the ETUCE, together with the European Research by the European Trade Federation of Education Employers Union Committee for Education and ESHA [European School Heads (ETUCE), which is currently running Association], agreed on five principles a two-year project on inclusivity in to create inclusive schools, as part of education that ends in November, the EU CONVINCE project. found that 25% of teachers in the EU work in schools with at least 10% Last September, the European non-native-speaking students, while Commission promised to look into 32% of teachers across the bloc work the obstacles to harmonising data in schools with at least 1% refugee collection across Europe and to hold students. a roundtable on “structural aspects of racism and discrimination” by the “There is an absolute imperative end of 2021, although a date has not to challenge the inequities in our yet been set. societies through inclusive education systems built on the principles of equity and capable of challenging all forms of discrimination,” said Larry Flanagan, the president of the ETUCE.

Based on limited data available in the European Commission report on diversity in the teaching profession, teachers with a migrant background account for between 2 and 4% across a handful of EU countries.

Meanwhile, the dropout rate of students with an ethnic minority background from teaching training also tends to be higher than among their peers.

In Hungary and Slovakia, two countries that steadfastly refused to accept migrants and refugees during and after the 2015 migrant crisis, the share of both pupils and teachers with 12 SPECIAL REPORT | DISCRIMINATION IN EUROPE’S SCHOOLS | EURACTIV Pandemic takes toll on refugees’ school access

By Benjamin Fox | EURACTIV.com

The difficulties facing refugee children in accessing education across the EU have been accentuated by the Covid–19 pandemic, according to new data. EPA-EFE/VANGELIS PAPANTONIS

he difficulties facing refugee largest number of refugees from Although appointed children in accessing outside Europe. Refugee Education Coordinators as Teducation across the EU have part of an EU-funded programme to been accentuated by the COVID–19 There is also a lack of harmonisation coordinate education provision across pandemic, according to new data, across the EU when it comes to the more than 60 refugee camps which painted a bleak picture of poor recognising the qualifications already across the country, the organisations attendance and high drop-out rates. obtained by refugees and migrants, wrote that “for the past six years, it has despite the existence of the European not been possible to guarantee smooth Under EU law, all children aged Qualifications Passport for Refugees. and unimpeded access to education four to 15 — including asylum seekers for asylum-seeking children.” — are entitled to free education. In In March, a group of 33 civil society practice, attendance rates for refugee organisations wrote to Greece’s prime “We call upon the Greek children are low and drop–out rates minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and government to take immediate action far higher than among children born Ursula von der Leyen, the president of to guarantee equal, substantive, and in Europe. the European Commission, expressing quality education to children of all concern that asylum seekers and ages and nationalities residing both Access has become particularly refugee children do not have sufficient on the islands and on the mainland,” challenging in front–line countries access to public education in the the campaign groups wrote. such as Greece, which receive the country.

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Conflicting data on the number of refugee children in schools has been provided by the Greek Ministry of Education, The Deputy Minister of Education, Zetta Makri, told lawmakers in March that 8,637 refugee children enrolled to education, only for the ministry to tell the Greek Ombudsman in April that there were as many as 14,423 children enrolled.

At the same time, both numbers reveal very low attendance rates: At the end of 2020, a total of 44,000 refugee and migrant children were estimated to be in Greece.

“In some places the issues observed have to do with the inconsistent interpretation of COVID-19 related movement restriction policies by the Greek authorities, which ends up discriminating against children who, as a result, are not being allowed to leave these camps [in order to attend school],” the campaign groups wrote.

“At the same time, during the lockdowns, due to the lack of necessary technical infrastructure for online learning at the camps, refugee and asylum-seeking children are further excluded from the education process,” they added.

While data on the educational attainment of refugees is rarely collected, a report by the United Nations agencies on migrants, refugees and human rights in 2019 found that, with the exception of the UK, which has since left the EU, early school leaving among children from outside Europe is nearly twice as high as among European born children.

Across the EU, only 3% of refugee youth participate in tertiary education, according to the report. THE DUTCH BID FOR EMA

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