Description of the situation

The education level of the Roma population is also low, but improving. New laws have been adopted. One of them states that people who have not finished elementary school (that is mandatory in Croatia) can not be registered at Croatian Employment Service. If one is unable to register at Croatian Employment Service, one can not register at the Welfare Centre and get social aid (financial). Therefore, Croatian Employment Service has started an action in order to educate more members of the Roma community.

Progress can be seen, as more and more young members of the Roma community are starting to continue their education after finishing elementary school. Roma elementary school students have the right to free school books and public transport. In order to enrol in high schools, credits threshold are lowered and Roma students are stimulated with the scholarships of HRK 500 per month. Many of them decide to continue and enrol in various vocational schools. Roma university students are entitled to HRK 1,000 per month, but only 28 students get those scholarships. Still there are some members that, under the influence or coercion by the older family members, leave school to get married and start to contribute to the family.

Kindergarden in a Roma settlement in Zagreb

References:

HRVATIĆ, N. (2000). »Odgoj i izobrazba Roma u Hrvatskoj«, Društvena istraživanja, Zagreb,
god. 9, br. 2-3(46-47), str. 267–290.

PEROTTI, A. (1995). Pledoaje za interkulturalni odgoj i obrazovanje. Zagreb: Educa.

SABLIĆ, M. (2004). Obrazovanje za interkulturalne odnose (magistarski rad). Zagreb:
Filozofski fakultet.