28 april 2022

What are the prospects for educational desegregation to become state policy as per goals and measures set out in the state strategies for 2021-2030?

Savelina Danova, external expert

NGO Organization Drom

This article touches upon possible perspectives for educational desegregation to become a state policy according to the set measures and objectives in the relevant fundamental state documents: National Development Program "Bulgaria 2030", National Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria for Equality, Inclusion and Participation of Roma (2021-2030), as well as the National Action Plan for the period 2022-2023 for the implementation of the National Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria for Equality, Inclusion and Participation of Roma (2021-2030). The latter two documents were adopted by a Decision of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria on 5 May 2022.

National Development Programme "Bulgaria 2030"

Bulgaria 2030 National Development Programme is a strategic framework document of the highest order in the hierarchy of national programming documents, determining the vision and overall objectives of development policies in all sectors of government. Roma education and desegregation are not directly addressed in this document, but there are measures envisaged that are relevant to the topic. Under Priority 1 'Education and Skills', the first area of impact is 'Inclusion in Education'. The main focus of future government policy falls on the inclusion of children and pupils in education, and on drop-out prevention.

The document states: "Measures will be taken to provide basic educational services in pre-school, school and higher education; to address, include and prevent drop-out; and to ensure equal access to pre-school, school and higher education by overcoming demographic, socio-economic and cultural barriers."

There is also an impact area "Support for full participation in education", which, at least in concept, is a little closer to the theme of educational integration.  Within this impact area the document foresees :

"Measures will be taken to provide integrated and accessible early childhood education and care services and to engage children, pupils and students (including those from vulnerable groups, with special educational needs and learning difficulties) to participate fully in the educational process and to interact with parents and make them active partners."

European funds, state and municipal budgets are mentioned as sources of funding for these activities, but only in principle and without specifying specific commitments, deadlines and responsible parties.

What is striking in this document is that although the need for policies for educational integration, measures for interaction with parents and making them active partners is articulated (although Roma are not explicitly mentioned), the main focus of the state policy strategy still falls not on desegregation but on inclusion and dropout prevention.

National Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria for Equality, Inclusion and Participation of Roma (2021-2030)

The National Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria for Equality, Inclusion and Participation of Roma (2021-2030) is a framework document that sets the guidelines for the implementation of policies for socio-economic inclusion and participation of Roma.

The Strategy sets out three cross-cutting equality, inclusion and participation objectives and four sectoral objectives in the areas of education, health, housing and employment. The subject of this analysis is the Education sectoral objective. 

As an operational objective in the field of education, the Strategy foresees:

"Create conditions for the implementation of quality and inclusive education, as well as for educational integration and intercultural education for children and students, including vulnerable groups, including Roma".

As we noted for the National Strategy Bulgaria 2030, this document also identifies as a leading priority in Roma education activities not for desegregation but for outreach and dropout prevention. Within the general objectives, the document first of all foresees :

"Effective outreach, inclusion and reintegration of children and pupils of compulsory pre-school and school age from vulnerable groups, including Roma."

Although the document does not explicitly specify, it is understood that students are to be encompassed in segregated schools.

As a second priority it is envisaged:

 „Providing conditions for inclusive education and educational integration of children and pupils from vulnerable groups, including Roma.“

In addition to measures to overcome the educational segregation inherited from the socialist era, the document also draws attention to the newly emerging educational segregation in the context of transition, providing:

"Overcoming segregation processes (so-called segregation and secondary segregation) in kindergartens and schools through educational desegregation measures."

It should also be noted as positive that measures for motivational work with parents are also indicated:        

"Effective "educational institution - family" interaction with a focus on parents from vulnerable groups, including Roma, to raise the importance of education by changing attitudes."

However, it is immediately noticeable that unlike the NGO projects that created the model for educational desegregation, where the main motivational work with Roma parents was carried out by respected figures in the Roma community, in the Strategy under consideration the motivational work is to be taken over by the schools. And past practice has shown that this approach has rarely been effective.   

The responsible institutions mentioned in the Strategy are: the Ministry of Education, the Centre for Educational Integration of Children and Students from Ethnic Minorities , the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP), municipalities. State budget, municipal budgets, EU Structural Funds, European Economic Area Financial Mechanism (EEA Financial Mechanism) 2014-2021, Norwegian Financial Mechanism (NFF) 2014-2021 and other donor programmes are identified as funding sources. The document also states that the Strategy has been developed on a broad public basis and has been discussed and consulted in numerous fora, working groups, etc. It specifies that a wide range of consultations were held with the participation of: representatives of ministries, regional administrations, local authorities, mediators, regional experts on ethnic and integration issues, teachers, academics, Roma activists, representatives of civil society organizations from all over the country.

The measures to achieve the objectives are set out in the Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy.

National Action Plan 2022-2023 for the implementation of the National Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria for Equality, Inclusion and Participation of Roma (2021-2030).

In the priority "Education" as long-term goals for the period 2022-2030 are promisingly indicated:

"Sustainability of policies for inclusion, sustainable inclusion and educational integration in pre-school and school education of children and students from vulnerable groups, including Roma;

Sustainability of policies for educational desegregation and prevention of secondary segregation;

Formation and development of effective school communities with emphasis on systematic work with parents;"

However, in the short-term goals for 2022-2023, we again see a different sequencing of priorities. Again, encompassing and drop-out prevention activities are highlighted.

Activities that, with more imagination, could be recognized as desegregation are:

„Implementing integrated activities for the educational integration of children and pupils from vulnerable ethnic communities by ensuring an effective process of outreach, inclusion and reintegration into the education system.“

For the implementation of these activities, part of the funds from the Competitive Procedures in the implementation of the Programme for the activities of the Centre for Educational Integration of Children and Students from Ethnic Minorities, the total amount of which is BGN 352 325, have been earmarked.

The Action Plan also addresses the problem of educational segregation that has emerged during the transition. Goal 4. provides for :

 " Overcoming the processes of segregation (so-called segregation and secondary segregation) in kindergartens and schools through educational desegregation measures."

However, the funds earmarked for the implementation of activities in this area are relatively modest - BGN 500 thousand. The main burden of implementation falls on the municipalities and the Centre for Educational Integration of Children and Students from Ethnic Minorities.

Goal 6 focuses on parental motivation, providing for "Effective educational institution-family interaction with a focus on parents from vulnerable groups, including Roma, to raise the importance of education through changing attitudes."

As mentioned in the launch of the National Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria for Equality, Inclusion and Participation of Roma (2021-2030), the Action Plan envisages parental motivation to be mainly carried out by schools. The funds earmarked for the implementation of this measure are more than modest - they are another part of the aforementioned Programme for the activities of Centre for Educational Integration of Children and Students from Ethnic Minorities , the total amount of which is BGN 352 325.

In fact, what is most disturbing about the entire Strategy, as well as the Plan, is the de facto turn in public policy from supporting desegregation activities (at least on the books) to supporting desegregated education activities. Goal 3 of the 2022-2023 National Plan is an illustration of this approach:

"Improving the quality of education in kindergartens and schools with concentrations of children and students from vulnerable groups, including Roma"

Measures for the implementation of this objective include:

 "Provide appropriate support to educational institutions with a concentration of children and pupils from vulnerable groups in relation to identified needs, including the appointment of an educational mediator and a social worker".

It is important to note that the funds for vulnerable groups earmarked for the implementation of this objective amount to over 34 million BGN. These figures make it clear how great the disparity is between the state's commitment to funding segregated and integrated education. It is clear that support for integrated education is, in fact, only declarative.

In conclusion, after examining the three main state documents, it can be concluded that beyond the declarative level, educational desegregation is not yet a priority of the Bulgarian state. This is evidenced by the low levels of institutional commitment as well as the rather modest financial provision for desegregation activities. There is also no effort to involve Roma civic structures, which have proven to be effective in motivating parents. All three strategic documents, as well as the significant financial backing of the measures, clearly illustrate that the main political will of the state is focused on the encompassing and prevention of school dropouts. And unfortunately all oriented towards the preservation and perpetuation of the system of segregation in education, despite official declarations of desegregation. These are strategic documents with a ten-year perspective and if they are not corrected, conditions are created to widen and deepen the problem of segregation in Bulgarian education. And this means a deterioration in the quality of education and the prospects for good professional and life prospects for thousands of children. We remain hopeful that these weaknesses in strategic documents, given good political will, can be corrected.