News server Romea.cz. Everything about Roma in one place

News server Romea.cz. Everything about Roma in one place

Czech sociologist says attending "practical school" reduces employability by half

09 April 2015
2 minute read
Speaking on Czech Television on 8 April, sociologist Daniel Prokop presented the results of a survey called Roma Survey 2011 organized by the United Nations Development Programme. The Czech Republic section of the research was performed by the Median agency among 750 Romani and 350 majority-society households.

"Education predetermines employability on the local labor market. Romani children who study at a ‘practical school’ have almost half the chances of being employed later in life compared to their peers. Children who attend a mainstream school have much greater chances of being employed," Prokop said.

If Romani people from excluded localities manage to achieve a secondary education complete with graduation examinations, their job prospects are comparable to those of people from the "majority" in their immediate neighborhood. "The problem is that only a few Romani people from socially excluded localities ever achieve a high school education, only around 30 % of the economically active population of any such locality does," Prokop said.  

The sociologist also said he agrees with Martin Šimáček, the director of the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion, that what is of essential importance to continuing education and job prospects is whether or not a child attends preschool. The survey shows that of the Romani people who did attend nursery school, 56 % of them found employment as adults.  

Of the Romani people from ghettos who never attended preschool, only 36 % found employment as adults. "It’s important that a child not wait until the very last minute before starting primary school to be among his or her peers. Children should interact with their peers as early as possible," Šimáček emphasized to Czech Television; however, of the Romani children aged three to six living in excluded localities, 64 % stay at home and do not attend education outside of the home.

Help us share the news about Romas
Trending now icon