CAKOVEC, Sept 10 (Hina) - Discussion, proposals and conclusions of a two-day seminar on the education of the Romany of Croatia will assist in drawing up a final national programme for the Romany, deputy head of the National
Minorities' Office Milena Klajner said in the northern Croatian town of Cakovec on Tuesday.
CAKOVEC, Sept 10 (Hina) - Discussion, proposals and conclusions of
a two-day seminar on the education of the Romany of Croatia will
assist in drawing up a final national programme for the Romany,
deputy head of the National Minorities' Office Milena Klajner said
in the northern Croatian town of Cakovec on Tuesday. #L#
The government's office for national minorities will co-finance
the work of a cultural centre for the Romany in Zagreb and Cakovec
with EUR150,000, while city authorities will ensure the premises.
The Open Society of Croatia institute will donate about 411,000
euros for a pilot programme concerning the education of the Romany
as well as a feasibility study and the assistance in coming up with
further funding, representatives of the society announced.
Representatives of the Council of Europe Development Bank said that
the bank would monitor good quality programmes and projects from
the education of Romany children to the refurbishment of
settlements and living quarters.
Medjimurje Deputy County Prefect Dragutin Lesar has already
announced the first project seeing that this most northern county
in Croatia is the home of 30.5 per cent of all Romany in Croatia.
At the seminar it was concluded that the education of the Romany
required special attention particularly pre-school preparations
when children would be taught the Croatian language which is a pre-
requisite to successfully attending regular schooling.
Schools in which a larger number of Romany children are enrolled,
should employ teaching assistants - educated Romany teachers.
Croatia's Education and Sports Ministry will continue to assist the
enrolling of Romany children into secondary schools and tertiary
institutions as well as ensuring scholarships.
On behalf of the Council of Europe, the head of the Romany Project
within the Stability Pact, Michael Guet, stressed that evident
progress had been made in Medjimurje with utility services in
Romany settlements, however, even more was required to improve
their hygiene habits which cannot be maintained without city water
supplies.
Guet called on Romany associations to co-operate with the Ministry
and local and regional self-government offices.
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