News

A two-day national scientific - practical conference "Intercultural education as a means of reducing the dropout of Roma children out of school" was held on 25 and June 26, 2014 in Veliko Tarnovo on the initiative of CIEDTAmalipe.

The halls of the Regional Government, the host of the forum were filled with teachers, principals, representatives of six RIEs in the country, academics and local education experts. The reports were broadcast as the best ones during the June Regional conferences in 15 districts in the country.

      The conference was opened at 10 a.m. by the Deputy District Governor of Veliko Tarnovo Andrey Iliev, who congratulated and encouraged the participants. Implications for work related to the program objectives, and welcome speech to all that were present was made by the Head of the RIE-Veliko Tarnovo - Rozalia Licheva.

 

The state expert at Ministry of Education Joseph Nunev addressed to teachers, directors and staff of the Amalipe Center in a competent and analytical way, with specific suggestions and guidelines. 

The conference was attended by Doriana Basamakova, a representative of the Trust for social achievement, which support financially the program.

      The Chairman of the CenterAmalipe Deyan Kolev and Vice-Chairman Theodora Krumova headed a summary of achievements and wishes for better results.

Center Amalipe, supported by the America for Bulgaria Foundation and Trust for social achievement implemented a  program for the prevention of Roma children drop out of school. After three years of implementation in 170 schools, located in all parts of the country during the academic year 2013/2014 the program continued under the title Every student could be a winner"! Teachers, parents and students united together in a team to be able to ensure that every child should feel important. Each student should acquire the confidence that can be excellent in an area that he is best in - leadership, sports, science, music, dancing, skillful hands... and in everything that nature had endowed him.

The conference was attended by 130 representatives of schools and government institutions, to whome were presented 70 reports.

The reports were presented in two rooms, in parallel sessions in the following thematic areas:

     Models of partnership between teachers and parents
     Models to empower students
     Innovative methods of working in a multicultural environment.

The aim of the conference was to demonstrate best practices in the ProgramReducing Roma children drop out of school, to expand the space for the promotion of good practice and innovation applicable in Bulgarian schools. To enrich the educational community with advanced techniques for working with students, parents, and students range and reduce dropout of Roma children from school. And most of all, to give schools scientific support for development in subsequent years.

        Teachers, mostly working in the program by EPAEthnic Folklore-Roma Folklore presented their work and discussed the usefulness of the individual school - primary, secondary.

There were also analytical reports to show that finding the solution of a problem would be reasonable only if it's clear from what it produces. The main theme was, of course, once again, that the Bulgarian education feels the lack of parents in the school life. And not only of Roma parents! So the reports that shared initiatives to involve parents - creating parent clubs, parent involvement in meetings of the pedagogical council, responsibility and take initiatives were of great interest.

The aim of the conference was achieved - every teacher or team of authors gave of themselves, but also learned a lot from their colleagues. No need to hide the worry that there was more to be done in the schools themselves to motivate all teachers and to remain fewer skeptics repeating: ,,Good things cannot happen because our kids are bad ...! "

There are no bad children - there are bad examples that we, the adults, give to them. Children are our mirror and we should try hard in achieving good reflection!

We are grateful to all those who attended, without reports, but came to support the cause Every student could be a winnerand expressed their opinion and position!

 

The educational team

  of CenterAmalipe