Roma Education Fund Romania Speaks Anew about Absenteeism

PRESS RELEASE

Roma Education Fund Romania Speaks Anew about Absenteeism… This Time Not about Student Absenteeism, But about Teacher Absenteeism

PRESS RELEASE

Roma Education Fund Romania Speaks Anew about Absenteeism… This Time Not about Student Absenteeism, But about Teacher Absenteeism

2 October 2012, Bucharest, Romania – REF Romania has identified the realities of teacher absenteeism and the impact on Roma children in its newest study – “Teacher Absenteeism, Romani Pupils, and Primary Schools in Romania.”  REF invited a contributing writer to the event to discuss the key findings of the report.  The report was a collaboration between REF Romania, Center for Urban and Regional Sociology (CURS) and the Center for Social Intervention and Studies – Romani CRISS.
The report pointed to the correlation between teacher absenteeism and Romani pupils attendance records.  What it found may be reassuring: the differences in teacher absenteeism between Roma and non-Roma schools is not due to the proportion of Roma students.  The schools with a high proportion of Roma students, however, tend to have insufficient resources, depleted infrastructure, and other negative characteristics that directly influence teacher absenteeism.
Eugen Crai, Country Director stated, “The research report brings out certain aspects which are worth being tackled.  One of these aspects is the school performance of Roma children in both types of schools [both so-called Roma and non-Roma schools] is lower as compared to their Romanian or Hungarian peers.  The role of the teachers in school performance is crucial, and the research report shows that the teacher absenteeism is more tolerated in Roma schools as compared to non-Roma schools.  Moreover, as compared to non-Roma in Roma schools, more teachers report coming late to classes.”
Based on the key findings, the top three policy recommendations included better monitoring of academic performance in Roma schools, making more efficient use of EU structural funds to improve school infrastructure and facilities, and introducing training for primary school principals that encourage non-authoritarian cooperative leadership.
“In addition to the top three policy recommendations,” continued Mr. Crai, “the Ministry of Education also has to take into consideration a proper way to motivate the teachers, both via the remuneration system and the system of incentives.”

PR Contact:
Mark Gomez                                          Adina Ursulean
Communications Officer                PR Specialist
07.60.693.525                                          07.85.231.919

Roma Education Fund Romania (REF Romania) was established in 2009 within the REF Network. Its main goal is to reduce the educational gap between the Roma and non-Roma populations. Currently, REF Romania manages 2 ESF funded projects as main applicant – “School after School” and “Equal Opportunities in Education” – and 4 other ESF projects as implementing partner. REF Romania is an NGO committed to excellence in achieving the results planned within its mandate and is an equal opportunity employer.
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COMUNICAT DE PRESA

Roma Education Fund Romania vorbeste din nou despre absenteism… De data aceasta, nu despre absenteismul in randul elevilor, ci despre cel din randul profesorilor

2 octombrie 2012, Bucuresti, Romania – REF Romania a identificat realitatile in ceea ce priveste absenteismul in randul profesorilor si impactul acestuia asupra copiilor romi intr-un nou studiu “Teacher Absenteeism, Romani Pupils, and Primary Schools in Romania”   (Absenteismul profesorilor, elevii romi si ciclul scolar primar in Romania). REF a invitat la eveniment unul dintre autorii care au contribuit la realizarea studiului, pentru a prezenta elementele cheie identificate in raport. Raportul reprezinta o colaborare intre Roma Education Fund, Centrul de Sociologie Urbana si Regionala (CURS) si Centrul Romilor pentru Interventie Sociala si Studii – Romani CRISS,
Raportul sublinieaza corelația dintre absenteismul profesorilor si prezenta inreigistrata in randul elevilor romi. Ceea ce a fost identificat poate fi gasit linistitor: diferentele de absenteism in randul profesorilor, in scolile rome si non-rome nu sunt cauzate de procentul elevilor romi din aceste scoli. Cu toate acestea, scolile cu un procent mare de elevi romi tind sa aiba resurse insuficiente, infrastructura deficitara si  alte caracteristici negative, care influentează in mod direct absenteismul in randul profesorilor.
Eugen Crai, Director National a declarat “Raportul cercetarii reliefeaza diferite aspect care mertita aduse in discutie. Unul dintre aceste aspecte il reprezinta faptul ca performanta scolara a copiilor romi in ambele tipuri de scoli (asa-numitele scoli rome si non-rome) este mai scazuta comparativ cu performanta scoalara a colegilor lor romani sau maghiari. Rolul profesorilor in performanta scolara este cruciala si raportul cercetarii arata ca absenteismul in randul profesorilor este mai tolerata in scolile rome decat in cele non-rome. Mai mult decat atat, in scolile rome mai multi profesori raporteaza ca ajung la cursuri cu intarziere, decat in cele non-rome”
Bazate pe elementele cheie identificate, primele trei recomandari de politici includ monitorizarea mai buna a performantelor academice in scolile rome, folosirea mult mai eficienta a fondurilor structurale europene pentru imbunatatirea infrastructurii scolare si a facilitatilor si introducerea de training de management (leadership cooperativ non-autoritar) pentru directorii scolilor primare.
 “Alaturi de primele trei recomandari de politici” a continuat domnul Crai, “Ministerul Educatiei trebuie sa ia in considerare o modalitate potrivita pentru motivarea profesorilor, atat prin sistemul de remunerare, cat si prin sistemul de stimulente”.

Contact:
Mark Gomez                                          Cristina Rotaru
Communications Officer                   Office Manager
07.60.693.525                                       07.60.693.524
mark.gomez@romaeducationfund.ro        cristina.rotaru@romaeducationfund.ro

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Roma Education Fund Romania (REF Romania) a fost infiintata in anul 2009, in cadrul retelei REF. Principala sa misiune o reprezinta reducerea decalajului educational existent intre populatia roma si cea ne-roma.
In prezent, REF Romania gestioneaza doua proiecte finantate prin FSE ca aplicant principal – “Scoala dupa scoala – primul pas pentru succesul scolar si profesional” si “Oportunitati egale in educatie pentru o societate incluziva” – si doua proiecte finantate, de asemenea, prin FSE, in calitate de partener de implementare – “Tineri romi competitivi pe piata muncii” si “O generatie de specialisti romi in domeniul medical”.
REF Romania este un ONG dedicat excelentei in realizarea rezultatelor planificate in cadrul mandatului sau si, totodata, un angajator de sanse egale.

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