Monthly Periodical of The Roma Inclusion Office The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina No. 50, june 2015 Founder and Publisher of the Periodical: The Roma Inclusion Office of the Govern- ment of AP Vojvodina Editor in Chief: Duško Jovanović Managing Editor: Aleksandra Mićić The team: Dragana Rajić Aleksandra Mićić Tijana Čubrilo Ljiljana Maričić Graphic design Associate: Tatjana Bošković Correspondents: Ferenc Koso DEAR Coordinators for Roma issues of the AP Vojvodina Ivana Koprivica READER, Translation into Romani: Nota Bene, Centar za prevođenje i učenje stranih jezika Novi Sad he 50th edition of our magazine begins with Translation into English: the text in the field of education. It is about Aleksandra Vranić Tthe first year students who study in Romani Technical Preparation and Printing: language in the Preschool Teacher Training College Lola preduzetništvo, Beograd, in Vršac, at the Professional educator of preschool www.lolapreduzetnistvo.co.rs children department and their process of study. Circulation: In the Employment rubric we bring you two 1000 copies stories, one of which recognizes the importance Address: of connecting education and employment and the Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 25, 21000 Novi Sad other the importance of self-employment. In the Tel: 021/488-17-23 field of housing, we wrote about the legalization [email protected] www.inkluzijaroma.vojvodina.gov.rs of Roma settlements and internally displaced per- sons. CIP - Cataloging in Publication A particularly beautiful and encouraging piece The Matica Srpska Library, Novi Sad 323.1 (=214.58)(=497.113) of news is the allocation of resources for young couples to purchase a house in the countryside, The Decade of Roma in AP Vojvodina: Monthly Publication of the Roma Inclusion which you can read in the Provincial Government Office / Editor in Chief Duško Jovanović rubric. -2011, No. 1 - Novi Sad: The Roma Inclusion We would like to remind you that, thanks to Office of the Government of AP Vojvodina, the Research and Education Center and Preschool 2011-.30 cm Teacher Training College “Mihailo Palov” from Monthly. In Serbian, English and Romani language - In Romani printed in reverse Vršac, you can follow our publication in electronic form at www.rec.org/bilten. COBISS.SR - ID 261834759 Your editorial staff Photo of the month: Awarded Contracts to young couples for the purchase of houses in the countryside Photo of the month: Awarded Contracts to young couples for purchase houses EDUCATION EDUCATION ACCOMMODATION IN THE STUDENT DORMITORY – THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FOR ROMA STUDENTS IN VRŠAC In the Preschool Teacher Training College “Mihailo Palov” in Vršac we talked to the Director Dr Jelena Prtljaga, the professor Mg Maria Aleksandrović, and two students of the first year of studying in Romani language. The topics were related to accommodation in the dormitory, textbooks, scholarships, employment and the process of higher education. Student dormitory students was solved, but with high school students, but there All interlocutors stressed such delays that students were is a number of seats for univer- that the biggest problem is al- not able to engage in the learn- sity students, both Roma and ways the accommodation in the ing process in time, and lost non-Roma.” The director sees dormitory. This was also the their continuity. “Waiting for the solution in capacity expan- case with previous generations, approval from the Ministry to sion or in building a new student as well as this one. Director of increase the number of seats in dormitory. If the students are the school emphasized that the the student dormitory had cre- provided with a home, they will problem of accommodation of ated a vacuum. It is the home of be here and attend the lessons. Dr Jelena Prtljaga “The Preschool Teacher Training College has applied for the project together with the Austrian Association “World Vision” and the NGO from Pirot, which will deal with decreasing the rate of Roma children dropping out of primary school. Our school has recognized and noted the importance of preschool education, when children are entering the school system. The role of the College is to design manuals for working with children in the Romani language, to employ ten students to work with children and parents, as it is important to raise awareness of parents about the necessity of enrolling children in the nursery schools.” Dr Jelena Prtljaga Textbooks, entrance consists of a written and oral the Roma students are safe and exams and scholarships part, the Romani language and well accepted. “On the day of Applying for the entrance literature for children. the entrance examination, par- exam, ability checking and the Professor Aleksandrović ents can come and take a look entrance exam in Romani lan- stressed that it is good that the at the student dormitory and guage are all held on the same students can receive scholar- the college.” day. Preparation for the en- ships from the REF and the Of- The Office for Roma Inclu- trance exam in Romani language fice for Roma Inclusion. Parents sion is funding the textbooks. is organized a day before the en- need to know that there are The ones that are used in teach- Professor Aleksandrović with the first-year students trance examination. The exam more funding sources and that ing are the following: The gram- 2 3 EDUCATION EMPLOYMENT mar of the Romani language, by dropping out of school, then we Rajko Đurić, Standardization of Every year, 15 students should start supporting them the Romani language – a text- can enroll into a depart- from kindergarten, and gradu- book that consists of spelling ment on Romani language, ates should be provided with and grammar, and for Children’s 5 at the Professional edu- an opportunity to get a job, be- literature they use the books cator of nursery children cause there is a fundamental by Alija Krasnići and Ranko Ra- department, and 10 at the need for it” said the Director of jko Jovanović. The director told Professional educator of the College. us that Professor Aleksandrović preschool children depart- We talked to two first-year prepares a bilingual textbook ment. There are currently students: Tina Petrović from Gl- for Methodology. The textbooks 22 students from first to ogonj, near Pančevo and Mariška that are published by the Pre- third year. So far, five stu- Novakov from Ilanča. They both school Teacher Training College dents have graduated, and enrolled into the College be- are given to students studying in one student is enrolled cause they like working with Romani language for free. in specialist studies, and children and they would like Professor Marija another one will do so in this to become their job. They Aleksandrović teaches Romani next school year. waited until December to get a language (first year), Culture of place in the dormitory, and in speech (second year), Children’s the meantime they had to travel literature (second year) and does not take the initiative to to classes. Seven students of this Methodology of speech develop- hire pre-school teachers whose generation are in the dormitory, ment I and II (third year). “I grow mother tongue is Romani lan- and two are not, so you cannot and develop with my students,” guage in the kindergartens with attend classes regularly. “It is a said Mg Marija Aleksandrović. Roma children, because in this pity that students are losing the way Roma children would be opportunity to study just be- Employment able to acquire both languages. cause they do not have a place “Without systematic care If we are educating the pre- in the dormitory,” said both of Merima Nika at her workplace of the state, employment is school teachers and if we want the student. sporadic. As long as the state to prevent Roma children from Tijana Čubrilo EDUCATION HAS PAID OFF It is already known that education which does not lead to employment is not an entire cycle and does not bring complete results. Merima Nika was the first student who has graduated at the Preschool Teacher Training College in Vršac, and got a job in a preschool institution Poletarac in Alibunar, after graduation. For this reason, she is a good example of the connection between education and employment. erima Nika was first interned in the She is satisfied with cooperation with the “Poletarac” in Alibunar, and when she educators, school speech therapist and peda- Mcompleted the internship she signed gogue. An increasing number of Roma children a new contract as a pedagogical assistant in are being enrolled in kindergartens, so she be- Romani language. Since this contract is expir- lieves that there is a need for pedagogical as- ing soon, she hopes for its extension. Merima’s sistants. “Parents are happy, and we are here salary was funded by the Office for Roma In- to answer all their questions,” said Merima. clusion during the first six months, and by the Director of the Office for Roma Inclusion municipality, during the other six months. highlights the importance of the role of edu- 4 5 EMPLOYMENT photoEMPLOYM-reportageENT cation and educators in the Romani language. “Our wish is to produce young and educated people who will enter government institutions with a degree, to help the education process of Roma children. For two years, the Office has been trying to find a job for Merima in a state institution. A partner was found in the municipality of Alibunar. “The director be- lieves that Merima will keep this workplace. “Merima is a role model, because she gives a boost to other Roma children to go to school,” said Jovanović, who paid special thanks to the Mayor and the Director of the preschool insti- tution on finding opportunities to get Merima employed. All the participants agreed that Mer- ima’s employment is necessary, be- cause she influences Roma children in multiple ways, with their knowl- edge, expertise and dedication; she helps them get used to the educa- tion system and prepares them, in- fluences and encourages their next steps in education.