Background:

Problems associated with education of Roma children in Central and Eastern Europe have been well documented since the fall of communism twenty years ago, with many children never having attended school or dropping out before they are literate. In Romania, despite a government  strategy to improve "access to quality education" for Roma, initiated in 2001, reports such as Schvey et al. (2006), Fleck & Ruhiniș (2008), Şandru (2009) and the Open Society Institute (OSI) (2007& 2009) suggest that there has been little or no improvement.

 The concepts of 'equal access' and 'quality' education are not only open to different interpretations across different languages and cultures, but also in literature their meanings have been the subject of much debate. The government's strategy,however, has some roots in the 'Education for All' (EFA) initiative which was launched in Jomtien. 

In a document, "Ten goals for improving access to education for Roma", The OSI European Union Monitoring and Advocacy Program for Roma Initiatives suggest that data collection methods  need to be developed by Governments in order to monitor the effects of policies and hence take corrective action where necessary. This paper suggests that as well as quantifying results on a national scale, research is urgently needed into what is actually happening within local administrations and, more importantly, in schools. Unless those responsible for carrying out reforms on the ground, have perspectives and practices which are consistent with the governmental aims emanating from the EFA Initiative, they may work towards different ends that would never achieve the desired result.

Theoretical Perspective:

One of the goals of the EFA initiative promotes equity and refers to being "responsive to children's needs".  These sentiments are also contained within the UN Children's Charter, Article 29, to which Romania is committed,  which states that education should be directed to the education of children "to their fullest potential".

Theorists and researchers, however, suggest that a major problem with Roma education in Europe is an adherence to a 'deficit theory' of education Harvarth&Toma (2006), Claveria & Alonso (2003), Miskovic (2009).  Two alternatives are identified;  ethnocentrism where any failure is because of Roma people's lack of assimilation into the 'superior' culture, and relativism which accepts differences, as cultural, therefore in order to preserve the Roma culture, considers that the status quo should be maintained. Both are inconsistent with the worldview as held by the EFA Initiative and the UN Children's Charter.

Objectives:

Using research findings from my ongoing PhD, which studies the educational system of a small rural region of Transylvania, Romania,  this paper investigates perceptions of educational administrators, teachers, Roma parents and children about the strategy to achieve equal access for Roma.  It compares them with both the worldview represented by EFA and UN and with those suggested by an ethnocentric or  a relativist viewpoint.

It also looks at classroom practices to see whether what is happening either is consistent with the perspectives given by teachers and local administrators or alternatively with the other viewpoints mentioned above.

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