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Macedonia
Sites
of the project
National Level External Evaluation (2005)
Implementing
partners
Foundation
Open Society Institute Macedonia (FOSIM)
E-mail: slazare@soros.org.mk
Contact person; Spomenka Lazarevska, Education and
Youth Program Director
Project information
REI Macedonia was founded in December 2003 and began
implementation in September 2004. In the 2004-2005
year, the project operated as follows:
Number
of Sites - 3 (Skopje, Kumanovo, and Prilep)
Number of schools/preschools - 23
Number
of children - 4,380
Number of Roma children -1,382
The
major implementing partners are Step by Step Foundation
Macedonia, Open Society Foundation Macedonia, as
well as Roma Education Centers. Roma NGOs (Education
Centers) work as equal partners in REI. Local stakeholders,
such as local authorities and parents, are also
involved. Trainings through the Step by Step network,
as well as other trainings to strengthen the NGO
sector, are important REI activities.
When
asked about the most significant elements of REI,
the Macedonian team noted the relationships among
the Roma Education Centers and schools with the
children going to the Centers before and after school.
The Centers were also viewed as advocates in the
community.
Project
Summary
The
main goal of Roma Education Initiative Macedonia
is the establishment of the conditions necessary
to enable Roma children to be successful pupils
in equal terms with their peers through positive
interventions.
The
program will be targeted and based in four Roma
settlements in "Dame Gruev" in Skopje,
"Lozja" and "Sredorek" in Kumanovo
and "Trizla" in Prilep were educational
initiatives are already in place and could be good
examples. In these settlements active and interested
Roma NGOs are willing to advocate and advance in
future projects in the community. In addition to
educational services, they will also provide services
for the members of the community.
The
main purpose of the program is to improve knowledge
and skills of the Roma children ages 0-18. This
project will combine the successful experiences
in Macedonia of the Step by Step Program (a child-centered
methodology focusing on children up to 12 years
age), Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking
Program (RWCT, a methodology that challenges students
of all ages to think critically), and experience
from the Roma Educational Centers (non formal environment
that support children in achieving better school
performance).
The
objectives of the initiative are to:
-
improve knowledge and skills of Roma children
- increase capacities of the primary schools to
meet the needs of Roma children
- contribute to design of "The National Strategy
for addressing Roma issues in the Republic of Macedonia"
- strengthen capacities of Roma educational centers
to provide high quality assistance for Roma children
Extensive
teacher and organizational development capacity
building support would be provided to four primary
schools in order to enable better integration of
the Roma children. Besides increasing the skills
and knowledge of the teachers for using child-centered
methodologies, to each of the schools Anti Bias
training will be delivered. In addition, schools
will be trained and provided with technical assistance
for designing and implementing the School Improvement
Plan (SIP).
The
other project objective seeks to provide opportunities
and development of the capacities of the Roma Educational
Centers in Roma neighborhoods to actively provide
out of school support and other creative activities
to the children, their parents, and communities
as a whole. Four NGOs that have already implemented
Roma education initiatives would be responsible
for providing services within their Roma Educational
Centers. The educators from the centers will be
trained in: Child centered methodologies, Anti-Bias.
The training on Mobilizing Local Resourses and Project
Cycle Management will be also delivered.
The
last component of this project intends to contribute
in preparation of the "The National Strategy
for Addressing Roma issues in the Republic of Macedonia",
by providing opportunities to all-important stakeholders
to participate in nation-wide discussions about
the needs and priorities of Roma children as well
as the concrete actions that should be taken in
that respect.
REI Project Model - Macedonia (Powerpoint presentation)
Roma
Community Center DROM, Kumanovo (Powerpoint presentation)
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