External evaluationExternal evaluation of theof the Support for High-Support for High-

School Roma students School Roma students in Romaniain Romania

(REF RO 033)(REF RO 033)

Attila Papp Z., PhD Attila Papp Z., PhD pappza@yahoo.compappza@yahoo.com; office@omnibus-srl.ro; office@omnibus-srl.ro

Cluj, 11 December, 2008Cluj, 11 December, 2008

Objectives of the projectObjectives of the project

to support excellence in education of Roma to support excellence in education of Roma studentsstudents

to increase a total number of 275 Roma to increase a total number of 275 Roma students’ GPA by at least 0.5 students’ GPA by at least 0.5

to provide educational support in the form of to provide educational support in the form of individualized mentoring to the same 275 individualized mentoring to the same 275 students during the project period (2007-students during the project period (2007-2011).2011).

to increase the number of Roma students who to increase the number of Roma students who further their education in high school and further their education in high school and beyond the compulsory education.beyond the compulsory education.

Objectives of the evaluationObjectives of the evaluation the assessment of management and project the assessment of management and project

implementationimplementation

the assessment of the beneficiaries school the assessment of the beneficiaries school achievments, school attendance, relationachievments, school attendance, relationshipship with peers and with teacherswith peers and with teachers

the assessment of efficiency and results the assessment of efficiency and results provided by the mentorship scheme provided by the mentorship scheme ofof the the programprogram

elaboration of school based case studies with elaboration of school based case studies with the aim of the aim of summing upsumming up lessons learn lessons learntt and and monitoringmonitoring the school environment. the school environment.

MethodologyMethodology

document analysisdocument analysis quantitative methods (applying quantitative methods (applying

questionnquestionnaaries to mentors and ries to mentors and students)students)

qualitative methods (interviews and qualitative methods (interviews and focus group discussions)focus group discussions)

ContextContextss of educational of educational policiespolicies

demographic datademographic data

the nature of educational interventionsthe nature of educational interventions ““domestic” in(ter)ventionsdomestic” in(ter)ventions adaptation of international experiencesadaptation of international experiences

Bottom-up vs. top-down interventionsBottom-up vs. top-down interventions

Level of education by ethnic Level of education by ethnic group (population over age group (population over age

10)10)

0,07

5,58

20,06

27,62

15,26

21,39

2,97

7,05

0,48

34,3

35,78

23,17

3,72

2,27

0,1

0,17

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

no answer

without education

Primary education

Secondary education

Vocational school

Theoretical high school

Post high school and foremen education

Tertiary (higher) education

Total Roma population

Assessment of Assessment of management and management and

project project implementationimplementation

partnershippartnership partnership between NGO’spartnership between NGO’s

deep relationshipsdeep relationships possibilities to build new (type of) relationshipspossibilities to build new (type of) relationships

partnership between NGO’s and public institutions partnership between NGO’s and public institutions (school inspectorates, ministry, schools)(school inspectorates, ministry, schools)

objectives of the projectobjectives of the project Is there a common “vocabulary” regarding our Is there a common “vocabulary” regarding our

common goals?common goals? Elitism vs. increasing school chances (retention Elitism vs. increasing school chances (retention

rate)rate) existence of latent existence of latent goalsgoals of the project of the project

Assessment of school Assessment of school achievmentsachievments

Differences between students Differences between students

from theoretical from theoretical high high schools and schools and vocational schoolsvocational schools

at 9th grade and 10th, 11th gradesat 9th grade and 10th, 11th grades

Different scholarships entail each Different scholarships entail each other or neutralize their effother or neutralize their efficiencyiciency The more the money students have the The more the money students have the

highhigherer the school achievment? the school achievment?

School achievement by type School achievement by type of schoolof school

8,31

8,17 8,17

7,83

8,26

8,05

7,5

7,6

7,7

7,8

7,9

8

8,18,2

8,3

8,4

Theoretical schools Vocational schools TOTAL

GPA 2006-2007 GPA 2007-2008

School achievement – School achievement – theoretical schoolstheoretical schools

8,47

7,95

8,10

8,27 8,29

8,44

7,60

7,70

7,80

7,90

8,00

8,10

8,208,30

8,40

8,50

9th grade 10th grade 11th grade

GPA 2006-2007 GPA 2007-2008

School achievement – School achievement – vocational schoolsvocational schools

8,20

7,31

8,03 7,97

8,358,23

6,60

6,80

7,00

7,20

7,40

7,60

7,808,00

8,20

8,40

9th grade 10th grade 11th grade

GPA 2006-2007 GPA 2007-2008

School achievement by no. School achievement by no. of scholarshipsof scholarships

8,11

7,97

8,378,32

7,7

7,8

7,9

8

8,1

8,2

8,3

8,4

students w ho have at least 2scholarships

students w ho have only REFscholarship

GPA 2006-2007 GPA 2007-2008

Evolution of absences by Evolution of absences by no. of scholarshipsno. of scholarships

36,3

8,7

43,3

11

05

1015202530354045

students who have at least2 scholarships

students who have onlyREF scholarship

total nr. of absences total nr. of unjustified absences

School achievements by School achievements by affirmative measuresaffirmative measures

8,08 8,07

8,39

8,21

7,9

8

8,1

8,2

8,3

8,4

GPA 2006-2007 GPA 2007-2008

special places for Roma students "normal places"

Assessment of Assessment of mentorshipmentorship

Role of individual mentorshipsRole of individual mentorships

Role in helping students to increase Role in helping students to increase their school achievtheir school achieveementsments

Role in extracurricular activitiesRole in extracurricular activities

Role in strenghtening of school-Role in strenghtening of school-parents relationshipsparents relationships

Lessons from case Lessons from case studiesstudies

Contradictions between Contradictions between the decentralization process in education andthe decentralization process in education and the heir of centralizationthe heir of centralization

Existence of local school culture Existence of local school culture determined bydetermined by The type of the city (small and bigger cities)The type of the city (small and bigger cities) The rate of roma (and other ethnic minorities) The rate of roma (and other ethnic minorities)

students in schoolstudents in school The type of the schoolThe type of the school

Local school environment influencesLocal school environment influences The prestige of the mentor inside the schoolThe prestige of the mentor inside the school The nature of school-parents relationshipsThe nature of school-parents relationships

Challenges/Challenges/RecommendationsRecommendations

Creation of a common language of the projectCreation of a common language of the project Who is the real target group of the support project?Who is the real target group of the support project?

Adjusment of collaboration between NGO’s Adjusment of collaboration between NGO’s Creation of professional network between Creation of professional network between

mentorsmentors Creation of networks between students Creation of networks between students Creation, adaptation and application of new Creation, adaptation and application of new

measures technique (besides the GPA)measures technique (besides the GPA) Institualization of the participation and the Institualization of the participation and the

role of roma parents in the project role of roma parents in the project

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention!attention!

pappza@yahoo.compappza@yahoo.com

office@omnibus-srl.rooffice@omnibus-srl.ro