Successful university preparatory course in the Czech Republic

“Slovo 21” civic group has successfully closed its university preparatory course, as 14 of the 24 attendee students, all Romani, have been admitted to local universities.

“Slovo 21” civic group has successfully closed its university preparatory course, as 14 of the 24 attendee students, all Romani, have been admitted to local universities.

Barbora Subrtova spokesperson of the Slovo 21 (Word 21) civic group that had organized the course within the “Pale o vudar” (Open the Doors) project explained that originally 30 people was accepted to participate in the preparatory course, located in Usti nad Labem, north Bohemia, Plzen, west Bohemia, Olomouc and Ostrava, north Bohemia, and Karlovy Vary, west Bohemia. 24 of them applied for entrance exams, 14 of them have been accepted and admitted for university studies, 12 of them in social and special pedagogical faculties, two of the participants successfully passed entrance exams to the Olomouc University Law Faculty.
The “Open the Doors” course has been organized for the third time already, through the program, 30 Romani students got enrolled in universities over the past two years.
 According to a survey conducted last year by the Dzeno Foundation amongst 200 Romany parents, 40% would like their children to complete tertiary studies.
However, according to the U.N. Development Program, more than 36 of Romany children in the Czech Republic only have elementary school education. About 16 percent of Romany children finish apprentice schools and only 5 percent complete secondary education, and only 0, 03 % of acquire BA or MA degrees. (ROMEA/CTK)