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

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

Slovak Romanies need more schools

22 October 2012
1 minute read

Most Slovak local authorities lower the number of elementary schools as the number of schoolchildren is shrinking, whereas those with a large Romany community have to expand them, a number of mayors told CTK today.

The schoolchildren from Kecerovce, Jarovnice, Bystrany and other towns and villages in eastern Slovakia have been attending school within a two-shift system for a couple of years, as the schools’ capacities are not sufficient for their growing number, they said.

"We are planning some extension of the school to house 11 classes," mayor of Jarovnice Marian Kyjovsky told CTK.

The classes have been taking place at the school, mostly attended by Romany children, all day long for 23 years, Kyjovsky said.

The extension is to be financed from European funds, Kyjovsky said.

The school has sent its project to the Slovak Construction Ministry, Kyjovsky said.

The school is attended by 840 children and another 150 children are to be enrolled in the next school year.

Similar problems are faced by the village of Kecerovce. "We want to ask for money to extend the school," mayor Anna Bombarova said.

Out of its 2800 residents, some 2400 are Romanies.

Estimates of the number of Romanies in the five-million Slovakia vary between 200,000 and 400,000. Their birth rate is several times higher than that of the rest of the population.

Help us share the news about Romas
Trending now icon