NRC organized a training for the candidates for Roma mediators for education within the frameworks of the project “Inclusion and continuity of the education process “
On the 8th March 2001, NRC published a concourse for engagement of Roma mediators that will be included in the project “Inclusion and continuity in the education process” financially supported by the Roma Education Fund. The concourse covered the municipalities: Gazi Baba, Kumanovo, Stip and Prilep.
For participation on the training, which was organized in the period 24-26 March 2011, a total number of 10 candidates were selected: Sara Sejfula, Memet Memet and Aleksandar Petrusovski for the municipality Gazi Baba, Denisa Selimoska and Nuri Dervisoski for municipality Prilep, Sabina Asanova and Ajsa Demirovska for municipality of Stip, Martina Asanovska, Marija Murtezovska and Irfan Martez for municipality of Kumanovo.
The first day of the training began with an introductory speech by NRC’s manager and project coordinator Asmet Elezovski, who pointed out that the work is a serious and responsible engagement. He also mentioned that all involved have a responsibility towards the institutions and to the Roma community itself, for more successful inclusion of Roma pupils in the educational system.
In continuance, the project assistant Slavica Curcinska presented the project activities and the goal of the project as well as them mediators’ working tasks. The candidates also received an explanation about the mission of the project, complete inclusion of Roma children in regular primary education through (a) improved approach to quality education for Roma pupils and (b) minimizing or elimination of the level of drop outs of Roma pupils. The aims of the project and the role of the mediators were explained to them in details as well as their engagement and activities.
The candidates for mediators presented themselves and briefly explained their motivation for working as mediators for education. The center for competencies and certification started the training with acknowledgements for the candidates about communication skills (listening, body language, question asking techniques and providing feedback information). After presenting of communication skills the candidates had practical exercises regarding role playing as mediator, parent and school’s expert service. After this exercise the candidates had a discussion, they asked questions regarding communication skills and field situations they might face.
The second day of the training began with additional exercises and techniques for providing feedback information and communication with institutions on one side and Roma families on the other. Also there were presentations about overcoming of conflict situations and their resolving if something like that occurs during the mediators’ work. The reasons for occurrence of conflict situations in kind of stereotypes, prejudices and perceptions were analyzed from a perspective of the candidates and possible situations on the field. The role of mediators in the education system and the community itself is tightly connected with representation of interests of the Roma community and lobbying as a specific tool for representation. This is why the next working sessions was devoted to representation (strategic acting and law based approach, lobbying).
The third day of the training began with speech from the Director of the Board for Development and promotion of education of languages of members of communities, Redzep Ali Cupi. The Director of the Board began by explaining the MoES and the Board’s authorizations; activities that the Ministry is undertaking for inclusion of Roma pupils in the education system, special measures that are being conducted by the Ministry as scholarships for Roma pupils in secondary education; MoES public policies and a special address of the director for motivation of candidates for mediators. He also pointed out that the purpose of NRC’s project is inclusion and continuity in the education process for Roma pupils in primary education, the first graders being the target groups and MoES also supports NRC’s activities for institutionalization of mediators in the education process and introduction of education mediator as an employment profile. The greatest benefit from the project as director Cupi pointed out is that we would be altogether glad when those to whom we supported have succeeded.
The training continued with informing in relation to legal procedures for enrolment (with a special turn for reviewing of the condition of pupils who left the education process due to temporary season work); communication in schools and the community (mediator-school-parents-pupils, dividing of obligations and responsibilities); motivation (how to motivate pupils for regular following of classes) and the last session was devoted to conclusions and evaluation of the training.
The first session was related to legal determination from the Law for primary and secondary education, a brief introduction for acknowledging them with the education system. Another discussion in the same session was related to conception of nine years primary education; acknowledgment of the terms education curriculum and education program, yearly program, additional classes, enrolment of pupils; rights and obligations of pupils, evaluation of achievements and progress of pupils.
The second and third session continued with additional activities pointed towards motivation of candidates and creating of positive atmosphere for work in schools and the community, attitude towards work and role of the mediators. The candidates had additional exercises for creating of relation for cooperation towards the school and the Roma community.
Near the end of the training the candidates brought out their conclusion about the training and were satisfied by the structure and content of all that was brought out for the three day training activities.
The evaluation of the candidates for mediators for education about the delivered materials to them was highly graded and they were satisfied by the organization and quality of the trainers.
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