Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 8(57) No. 1 - 2015 A RESEARCH PROJECT ON ABSENTEEISM AND DROPOUT: THE CASE OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN ROMANIA Elena-Lidia DINU1 Abstract: The results of this research project have led to a great number of statements in relevant terms of acceptance and commitment. In this specific case, the individuals involved in the survey were mostly Roma people from ten villages of Central and Southeastern Romania (Zizin, Târlungeni, Râşnov in Braşov County; Porumbacu de Jos, Avrig in Sibiu, Hăghig in Covasna County; Adjud, Bilieşti, Sihlea, and Tâmboieşti in Vrancea County). I assume that well-established approaches to gather information about absenteeism and dropout have substantial predictive validity. Beside this aspect, the project was supported by UNICEF Romania and the University of Bucharest. Key words: qualitative study, marginalized groups, dropout. 1. Theoretical Background Employment (research coordinated by the professors Elena and Cătălin In Romania, the Roma people subject Zamfir in 1992); (with all the related social issues/ Education (research coordinated by implications) has been constantly on the the professors Elena and Cătălin headlines of the newspapers for a long Zamfir in 1992); time. Social services; At the national level, a number of Health; policies and specific programmes (aimed Fight against discrimination; at improving Roma people's living Roma people’s adjustment to conditions) have been introduced by the society; Government. Likewise, academic and Absenteeism. scientific institutions and also non- The Ministry of Education, Research governmental organizations developed and Youth and its partners set up six projects (both in partnerships and on their types of specific programmes aimed at own) focussed on Roma communities implementing Education for Roma living in Romania. The key-issues for people in the period 1990-2008 [2]: those programmes/projects and the main 1. Programmes built and sponsored by main aspects to investigate were [1]: the Ministry of Education, Research and Youth on its own. They mainly involved: 1 Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, University of Bucharest. 80 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Series VII • Vol. 8 (57) No. 1 - 2015 a) Reserving a certain number of b) Awarding scholarships to young places for Roma students in Roma students; universities and in colleges; c) Establishing a network of b) Teaching the Gypsy (Romani) cultural/linguistic mediators (over language in universities; 600) to help Roma students c) Arranging summer schools to integrate at school. teach Gypsy (Romani) 5. Programmes developed by the language and history (1999- Ministry of Education, Research and 2008); Youth within the Government d) Earmarking funds to hire programmes. In this case: Gypsy language and Roma a) All activities were coordinated on people’s history teachers the basis of the overall (1990; 1992-2008) etc. Government Strategy aimed at 2. Programmes built and sponsored by improving Roma people’s living the Ministry of Education, Research conditions and school attendance; and Youth. Among others: b) Some European strategic projects a) Romani CRISS (1994-2008); were developed by the b) UNICEF (2001-2008); Government (e.g., „Everybody to c) “Ruhama” Foundation – Oradea be enroled in the first class”, etc.). (2007-2008) etc. 6. Programmes built by the Ministry of 3. Programmes built by the Ministry of Education, Research and Youth from Education, Research and Youth and a legislative perspective [maybe it's sponsored by UNICEF in Romania. better to say “actions/ measures taken They mainly involved: by the Ministry of Education, a) Editing educational materials Research and Youth from a legislative and auxiliary textbooks on perspective]. They mainly consisted Gypsy and Roma people’s of: history and traditions (2001- a) Order on hiring of school 2008); mediators, No. 25 436/28 January b) Earmarking funds to establish 2008; summer schools to teach the b) Order regarding the progress of a Gypsy language and the Roma few activities specific to the Roma people’s history (2001-2008); people’s school house, No. 42 a) Applying EPA test (education 622/25 October 2006; priority areas) etc. c) Other decrees, resolutions, and 4. Programmes built and developed by executive orders. the Ministry of Education, Research On this line, the European Commission’s and Youth [and financed] through EU main objective is to improve this ethnic funds within the PHARE Programme group’s living conditions. (designed to help disadvantaged In the European context, the educational children and pupils). They mainly situation of the Roma communities has consisted of: been analyzed for years: “out of an a) Development of the PHARE estimated 10-12 million Roma people Programme (designed to help living in whole Europe, some 6 million disadvantaged children and pupils live in the EU, half of whom are of school - especially, coming from Roma age” [3]. Usually, the number of those who families); attend school does not represent their DINU, E.-L.: A Research Project on Absenteeism and Dropout... 81 totality, as the absenteeism rate is very 3. Project Primary Objectives high. In recent years this situation has been This research was aimed at slowly evaluated by the researchers, substantiating the SAI through a recording spectacular results in most cases sociological understanding of the social [4]. processes that are put in motion in Advertising campaigns promoting communities, schools and families projects aimed at helping Roma people are involved in the programme, contributing being conducted on the media to awaken thereby to the impact of the initiative in the citizens' consciences regarding Roma near future. On the basis of empirical people's issues. This has resulted into a evidence, a list of priorities ahead of the higher level of awareness and a greater formulation of effective and sustainable commitment to support actions/initiatives policies regarding equal opportunities in aimed at helping Roma people in poor education was proposed. The assessment areas. A remarkable example is the School proposal followed up the development of Attendance Initiative – SAI Project, the SAI project, after an implementation introduced from 2010 to 2013 and launched period, diagnosing a few issues and by an advertising campaign whose main recommending optimizing actions such as: slogan was “Come to school!” (thousands - A sociological description of the of posters with this caption were distributed existing situation in the communities and displayed in all the schools involved in involved in the project, focussing on the the project) (see Fig. 1): study of the forms of inequality in school participation. The research included an analysis of the learning process organization both within the school and the family, as well as strategies and community practices of encouragement for school attendance and dropout limitation. - A systematic analysis of the impact of the third stage of carrying SAI in relation with both: the overall objective of the project and the main objectives in the current phase of the implementation. The analysis focussed on the impact associated with the successful practices and the Fig. 1. Advertising campaign “Come to project sustainability conditions. school!” - A differentiated analysis of the impact and sustainability of communities living 2. The School Attendance Initiative and directional learning to allow the setting (SAI): project introduction of future priorities for implementation. For this purpose we chose a comparative The School Attendance Initiative – (SAI) approach, focused on: was carried out from 2010 to 2013 in a) The perception of the interventions schools located within the Priority by the five partners involved (1) Education Areas (PEA). I assessed the Ministry of Education, Youth and impact and sustainability of this Project. Sports, (2) Institute of Educational Sciences, (3) Resource and 82 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Series VII • Vol. 8 (57) No. 1 - 2015 Information Center for Social data maximizing and current empirical Professions, (4) “Holt” Foundation, evidence validity. (5) “Together” Agency, including studying how interactions among 4.2. Field research (city halls, schools these partners are mutually and households) reinforcing; b) Multiple causes of the absenteeism From September to November 2013, I and dropout. conducted sociological fieldwork in Conclusions: recommendations and Central and Southeastern Romania with identification of best practices in order to the support of the UNICEF Romania and replicate and disseminate them in the next the University of Bucharest. I worked on stages of the program; highlighting of the rural livelihood, absenteeism and dropout lessons learned through implementation as issues throughout the country. a resource for program adjustment and My fieldwork took place in six villages national policies. lying in the Central Romania area (Zizin, Târlungeni and Raşnov in Braşov County; 4. SAI Design Porumbacu de Jos and Avrig in Sibiu County; Hăghig in Covasna County) and in The project required the use of a four villages lying in the Southeastern complex methodology. In order to improve Romania area (Adjud, Bilieşti, Sihlea and the value of the study and the accuracy of Tâmboieşti in Vrancea County). It the results I have applied a set of methods, specifically explored the relationship analysis techniques and social between school