Indicator history

A study on the educational situation of German Sinti and Roma (Studie zur aktuellen Bildungssituation deutscher Sinti und Roma) shows that the low level of education and educational achievements is caused by a variety of factors. It indicates that this minority group has to deal with direct and indirect discrimination in the education system. On the one hand, the reasons are found within the family and its attitude to education, respectively to the level of education. Yet, on the other hand, institutional and societal circumstances also restrain the educational careers of Roma and Sinti. Although to a lesser degree, subtle discrimination by teachers in schools can be observed. Sinti and Roma are often confronted with prejudices and are stigmatized in a negative way as “gypsies”, etc. Some respondents mentioned discrimination by teachers as in paying less attention to their needs and by making discriminatory comments related to common stereotypes about their ethnic group [1-3].

The results of the survey on the experiences of teachers with Sinti and Roma show, that especially teachers of the lower school tracks (Hauptschule) state having had a certain number of pupils with Sinti and Roma background in their classes (58.33 per cent of German and 75 per cent of foreign Sinti and Roma). In comparison, the questioned teachers in higher tracks (Gymnasium) seem less likely to teach Sinti and Roma pupils (11 per cent German and 4 per cent of foreign Sinti and Roma). Further, poor knowledge of teachers and pupils on the history of Sinti and Roma can be observed [4].

Source:

1. Migazin (2011), Aus dir wird ohnehin nichts“ – Bildungssituation in Deutschland, 28.07.2011, http://www.migazin.de/2011/07/28/sinti-und-roma-bildungssituation-in-deutschland/, Accessed on 16.01.2012.
2. Peucker, Mario (2010), Racism and Ethnic Discrimination in Germany Update Report 2010, http://www.efms.uni-bamberg.de/pdf/CDC_Germany_2010_efms.pdf, Accessed on 09.02.2012.
3. Strauß, Daniel (2011), Studie zur aktuellen Bildungssituation deutscher Sinti und Roma: Dokumentation und Forschungsbericht, http://www.stiftung-evz.de/w/files/roma/2011_strauss_studie_sinti_bildung.pdf, Accessed on 19.12.2011.
4. Mengersen, O. (2012), Sinti und Roma in der Schule – die Meinung von Lehrerinnen und Lehrern, in: Zentralrat Deutscher Sinti und Roma (ed.), Gleichberechtigte Teilhabe für Sinti und Roma in Deutschland, Heidelberg. http://zentralrat.sintiundroma.de/content/downloads/stellungnahmen/7Mengersen.pdf, Accessed on 10.01.2013.