10/02/2021
School segregation is one of the great barriers faced by Roma students (and other groups in situations of social exclusion or poverty), tackling this problem is essential if we want to improve the high rates of school failure and achieve a more equal educational system.
However, although it is well known that all cities and neighborhoods with lower family incomes tend to have one or more “ghetto” educative centers, classrooms or groups. The real figures for this phenomenon of student concentration are not known. In addition, the ethnic data of the students are not known either, since Spanish law prevents collecting this type of information.
Therefore, the large network of school counselors and support teachers that the Fundación Secretariado Gitano has throughout Spain is a source of information that, although not complete, can give us an approximation of the state of the matter. And through this network, in the first phase of the "No Segregation" project, we collect interesting information on the situation of Roma students in schools where it is estimated that they may be in a situation of segregation.
In addition, we have looked for the situation of Roma children who come to Spain from Eastern Europe (mainly Romania and Bulgaria) and if there are situations of school segregation with respect to them.
Finally, we have searched for and identified some of the good practices in the fight against segregation both in legislative matters and at school center initiatives. These two levels were put in common in the two working tables held, the first (with institutions) in September 2020 and the second (with schools) in January 2021.
Information on the first table that we already reviewed can be found here: https://www.gitanos.org/actualidad/archivo/131812.html.en
The second table brought together 3 schools (initially there were 4, but finally one could not attend) that are addressing segregation with good success rates. In addition, some of these centers participate in legislative initiatives that were highlighted in the working table with institutions such as the Kompanya program in the Community of Valencia or the 2030 program in Castilla y León.
The schools that participated in the working table were the CEIP Ramiro de Solans in Zaragoza, the CEIP Les Arenes in Valencia and the CEIP Núñez de Arenas in Madrid.
The data and final conclusions of these working groups and the project in general have not yet been published, and will be shared with the rest of the entities that are part of the “No Segregation” project. However, there are certain experiences and guidelines we can tell some that have been extracted from the session, such as:
The stability of the teachers and staff who work in order to maintain and keep the good educational projects. This would encourage students from other social profiles to enrol in the center and therefore increase the total number of students that would balance the concentration of Roma students or those in vulnerable social situations.
The need to increase the support teachers and personnel associated with the center as counselors, mediators and other social agents was also highlighted.
The role of the semi private school in the balanced distribution of students is also of great importance.
In addition, the Fundación Secretariado Gitano is working on another project, at the national level in this case, against school segregation. Therefore, steps are being taken to reduce and minimize this educational problem suffered by many Roma students.
At the end of this article you can find some pictures that the Romani ilustrator Sandra Carmona made for this working table, they summarize some of the ideas that came up during the working session. This pictures will be used as educative material within teachers, students and their families. Also during advocacy activities with others stakeholders involved in the education system.
Photo gallery
