Results so far confirm that integrated Roma education is successful and the government is committed to pursuing this path, Minister of State for Social Affairs and Inclusion Károly Czibere said on Wednesday at an international educational conference in Budapest.
At the conference jointly organized by the Andrássy University and the Hanns Seidel Foundation, Mr. Czibere said that the integration and education of the Roma require a long-term strategy and the issue is not only of importance to the Roma families, schools and local communities, but to the nation as a whole.
He said that a long-term strategy, and intervention are needed for instance in towns where the free choice of school can contribute to segregation. He said that in Hungary, Roma integration in the field of education does not have to start from scratch as there are already results that can be built upon. Successful initiatives must be identified and promoted across the educational system.
Mr. Czibere also said that the government is pursuing an open and active policy of dialogue on the issue. While acknowledging the importance of dialogue, András Masát, Rector of the Andrássy University, stressed that it cannot replace effective action.
Professor of the Andrássy University Ellen Bos said that Roma integration is one of the main social policy challenges both in Hungary and in the neighboring countries. Yet, it is common that problems tend to receive much more publicity than successful initiatives.