Education a tool to change future of Roma community, says Head of OSCE Presence in Albania

TIRANA, 5 April 2012 - Ambassador Eugen Wollfarth, the Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, speaking ahead of International Roma Day on 8 April, highlighted the importance of education as a crucial tool for improving the future of the Roma community in Albanian society.

“Through sound education Roma children will have a better chance to develop into adults with equal chances in society. Education will help to pave the way towards access to employment, as well as full engagement in civic and political life,” Ambassador Wollfarth said.

“School attendance of Roma children together with other Albanian pupils should be at the forefront of an integrated approach to facilitate the development of the Roma community. The high school drop-out rate of Roma children remains a major concern for us when it comes to ensuring Roma's educational rights.”

Full implementation of the National Strategy for Improving Roma Living Conditions, as well as Albania's commitments under the Roma Decade, is needed, and existing mechanisms should be further developed, including the governmental initiative to provide free school books for Roma children, he added.

“At the same time, Roma parents need to be fully aware of the importance and value of education. It is for the parents to choose school as the only option to ensure future opportunities for their children,” he said.

Since his appointment as Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Wollfarth has focused on issues related to equal access to education of Roma children. In order to address this issue, the Presence has also funded several projects aimed at providing Roma children with educational materials, including books and computers, in various regions of the country.