Czech Govt Agency for Social Inclusion in Roma Localities conference on Education Together - Law, Pedagogy, Strategy & Practice
On Tuesday, 15 May, the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion in Roma Localities and the Representation of the European Commission in the Czech Republic will hold a conference in Prague on the options for integrating inclusive education into the Czech education system. The conference, entitled “Education Together – Law, Pedagogy, Strategy and Practice” (“Společné vzdělávání – právo, pedagogika, strategie a praxe”) aims to present information about various aspects of what is termed common or inclusive education.
If inclusive education elements were to be more intensively integrated into the Czech education system, it would help bring an end to the inter-generational reproduction of social exclusion in the country. Moreover, by signing many international documents, the Czech Republic has legally obligated itself to do this.
The conference will take place on Tuesday, 15 May 2012 from 9:00 to 17:00 at Europe House (Evropský dům – Jungmannova 24, Praha 1). It is being held under the kind auspices of Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas and Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner Monika Šimůnková as part of “Europe Days” in the Czech Republic.
Several Czech and foreign experts on education will present at the conference. For example, Jana Straková of the Institute for Research and Development in Education of the Pedagogical Faculty at Charles University in Prague will discuss “Ensuring effectiveness and fairness in the Czech education system”; Aurelio Cecilio of the European Commission’s DG for Employment, Social Affairs and Social Inclusion will present “European and national strategies for common education”; and Susanna Rajala of the Finnish National Council for Education will describe in detail “Primary education for Romani pupils in Finland”.
Conference program:
9:30 – 10:00 Welcome and introduction
Monika Šimůnková, Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner
Jan Michal, head of the Representation of the European Commission in the Czech Republic
Martin Šimáček, director, Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion in Roma Localities
10:00 – 11:30 Common education as the legal right to effective pedagogy
Lucie Obrovská, Office of the Public Defender of Rights
“Inclusion and segregation in Czech and international law”
Olga Kusá, Center for the Support of Inclusive Education
“Pedagogical aspects of inclusive education”
Jana Straková, Institute for Research and Development in Education, Pedagogical Faculty, Charles University in Prague
“Ensuring effectiveness and fairness in the Czech education system”
discussion
11:30 – 11:45 break
11:45 – 12:45 Common education in European and domestic strategies
Aurelio Cecilio, European Commission, DG for Employment, Social Affairs and Social Inclusion
“European and national strategies for common education”
Viktor Piorecký, Agency for Social Inclusion in Roma Localities
“Strategy for the Fight against Social Exclusion, education chapter”
discussion
12:45 – 13:45 lunch
13:45 – 14:45 The practice of introducing common education
Susanna Rajala, Finnish National Council for Education
“Primary education of Romani pupils in Finland”
Iva Pikalová, Liga lidských práv
“The Fair School certificate and the building of inclusive practices from the ground up”
discussion
14:45 – 15:00 break
15:00 – 16:30 Good practice in inclusive education in the Czech elementary schools
Radoslava Renzová, director of the “Blue School” in Svitavy – Lačnov
“Our path to inclusive education – practices and experiences”
Vladimír Foist, director, Elementary School Poběžovice
“Our path to inclusive education – practices and experiences”
discussion
16:30 – 16:45 Concluding remarks and closing of the conference
17:00 Informal gathering
