New IQ tests with pictures, which were developed to be culturally unbiased, will still result in Roma children being unfairly placed in special schools for children with light mental disabilities, according to a study by the NGO People in Need. The tests are administered to children to determine if their intellectual ability is sufficient to [...]

While here in the capital education functionaries are fighting over integration policy and nationalist aid appointments, there have been a few refreshing pieces of education news to come out of the second city lately. The number of students from socially excluded communities in Brno (mostly Roma) applying to high schools and apprenticeship programs is on [...]

The long-awaited modifications to the Education Ministry’s provisions for special needs students have finally been put forward by Minister Dobeš (VV) after an onslaught of criticism from NGOs and other observers who accused the minister of dragging his feet. The final decision on changes to the plan, which will mostly affect Roma students unfairly placed [...]

Czech Education Minister Josef Dobeš (Public Affairs party, or VV) said last week that new decrees to promote Roma inclusion in public schools will be ready for implementation by January, no doubt in response to a recent slew of criticism from NGOs and other groups advocating Roma who say the plodding pace of reform implementation [...]

Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas addressed a session of the international executive committee of the Decade of Roma Inclusion in Prague last Thursday, saying better education and access to jobs are essential to the integration of Czech Roma. Though few would disagree that education is the key to social mobility, the PM’s words seem like [...]

Some high-level government officials will be paying a visit to Roma families in three north Bohemian cities this afternoon (link in English here) to talk to parents about their children’s truancy and why it affects their social benefits. Labor and Social Affairs Minister Jaromír Drábek and Education Minister Josef Dobeš, from TOP 09 and VV, [...]