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Bulgaria
Sites
of the project
National
Level External Evaluation (2005)
Implementing
Partners
(For
detailed information on REI partners, please visit
the PARTNERS
section of this website!)
Roma
Leaders
Nikolay
Kirilov - Chairman of the Municipal Counsil Lom
Stoyan Naidenov - Mayor of Glojene
Project
information
REI
Bulgaria was founnded in May 2003 and began implementation
in September of the same year. In the 2004-2005
year, the project operated as follows:
Number
of Sites - 3 (Lom, Glozene, and Blagoevgrad)
Number of schools/preschools - 7
Number of children - 1,831
Number of Roma children -1,023
The
major implementing partners are the Step by Step
Foundation Bulgaria and the Open Society Foundation
Bulgaria. A key implementing partner is Roma Lom
Foundation, particularly in working with youth 15
years of age and older. In Bulgaria, Roma Lom acts
as an equal partner in implementing REI. OSI trainings
and programs support REI implementation, including
combining OSI educational programs that involve
teachers and parents. Round tables are used to disseminate
results and discuss policy implications.
The
model follows the comprehensive approach, working
with children and youth from age 3 to over 18 years
of age. The comprehensive approach also includes
"out of school" activities offered through
a summer program as well as "career streaming"
provided with the assistance of Roma Lom. Municipalities
are also considered partners.
When
the Bulgarian team was asked to identify the key
aspects of the model, they cited: the comprehensive
approach, working with Roma Lom, and "combining
different programs in the name of desegregation."
Project Summary
The
project builds upon previous governmental and non-governmental
initiatives, which have worked towards desegregation
and the improvement of mainstream education in Bulgaria.
It aims to provide a model by which to operationalize
the strategies outlined in the governmental documents:
Framework Program for Equal Integration of Minorities,
the revised legislation on basic education, and
Guidelines for Integrating Minority Children and
Students. It aims to reach sustainability
by influencing policy on local and national levels,
on how the MOE and municipalities can implement
this model after the project is completed.
It
targets three separate sites in Blagoevgrad, Lom,
and the village of Glozhene, chosen to vary in population,
type of ethnic group and structure of the education
institutions.
The
project proposes to combine all the high-quality
and well-functioning education programs heretofore
supported by the Foundation and target them to three
Roma communities, thus enabling access to quality
education for Roma of all ages. School Improvement
acts as the umbrella under which all other pedagogical
programs will be run. Basic modules from the Health
and Women's Programs will be used for work in the
communities.
The
project will target Roma children aged 0-18, their
parents and their communities in the three sites.
It will also target school staff and BOSTs (Board
of School Trustees).
The
project also proposes to improve the work of the
Roma community related to the policy of desegregation.
It proposes to support the process of integration
by attracting, including and successfully retaining
Roma children at school and increasing their opportunity
to pass onto higher grades, and by encouraging them
to attend mixed schools.
The
project will be implemented in close cooperation
with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social
Affairs, National Council on Ethnic and Demographic
Issues at the Council of Ministers, National Agency
for Child Protection and PAKIV.
Photo section of the project
Videos made by the project
Roma Lom Foundation (presentation material)
REI
Project Model - Bulgaria (Powerpoint presentation)
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