Improved Education and Integration Opportunities for Roma in Serbia: EUR 2.4 Million for Education, Employment and Re-integration

The Roma Education Fund organized a media event on Monday, June 12, at the premises of “Fabrika” in Belgrade, on the occasion of the beginning of the project “Improved Education and Integration Opportunities for Roma in Serbia.”

The Roma Education Fund organized a media event on Monday, June 12, at the premises of “Fabrika” in Belgrade, on the occasion of the beginning of the project “Improved Education and Integration Opportunities for Roma in Serbia.”

Speakers at the event included First Secretary of Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Jürgen Schmid; State Secretary of Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Ms. Anamarija Vicek; State Secretary for Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy, Mr. Nenad Ivanisević; KfW Senior Project Manager in the Department South East Europe and Turkey, Mr. Burkhard Margraf and Executive Director of Roma Education Fund, Mr. Nadir Redžepi.

EUR 2,373,950 was awarded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of the Federal Republic of Germany to Roma Education Fund (REF) in late 2016. Administered by KfW Development Bank and implemented by the Roma Education Fund Representative Office in the Republic of Serbia, this grant seeks to link graduation from high schools with skills training for Roma youth entering the Serbian labor market.

The project focuses on three practical components for Roma ages 15-25: supporting secondary school education, enhancing prospects for employability of graduates and promoting the re-integration of Serbian Roma returnees from Germany into Serbian society.

The Roma Education Fund has so far achieved significant results with the secondary school scholarship program:

  • 97 Roma graduates in the 2014-2015 school year
  • 112 graduates in 2015-16
  • 142 graduates in 2016-17

Zero percent dropout rate in the final year secondary school. Less than five percent dropout among all secondary school scholarship recipients. Vocational training after graduation: the first group of Roma scholars has entered specific training programs within the scope of the project. In total, approximately 20 percent of Roma graduates are in vocational training and working practice in a wide variety of fields promoting decent work opportunities.

“Improved Education and Integration Opportunities for Roma in Serbia” will be implemented in cooperation with the Federal Republic of Germany, Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy, and the National Employment Service.