THE THIRD SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN THE DELIVERY OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICE FOR ROMA PEOPLE. DOES IT REALLY IMPROVE ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR ALL?

This project has dealt with issue of educational services delivery to Roma children in Romania, analyzing an important dimension of phenomenon: the role played by third sector organizations within this process. The stake is fundamental both Romania and UE taking into account the latest political developments, the significant deficiency of social integration of this ethnic group as against majority population and the fact that education is the key factor within this process. There are two key deficiencies in educational process of Roma children: the unequal access to education and unequal quality of education provided to them. Data provided in the research paper clearly proved these statements.
In order to highlight the role played by third sector organizations within this process we carried out case studies on CSOs (Civil Society Organizations) which developed, as type-market mechanisms, complex projects in Romania aiming at improving and increasing efficiency and effectiveness of educational services delivery to Roma children; to this aim we have identified a number of projects financially supported either by European funds and co-funded by Romanian Government or by other foreign organizations.
From methodological point of view, at the first stage legislative aspects and relevant documents for carrying out of these projects have been reviewed. In the second stage we carried out in-depth interviews the managers of these projects, key experts, relevant stakeholders (schools’ principals, public authorities’ representatives, etc.), and beneficiaries of programmes (Roma children and parents). In the end we have chosen two illustrative cases and we have analyzed them in detail as best practices and we extracted out of them some lessons to be learn for the future. The paper contains also a set of recommendations for policy makers, CSOs and other relevant stakeholders in order to improve involvement of third sector organizations within the process of educational services delivering for Roma children and not only.