The role of institutional pre-school education in ensuring equal educational opportunities for children of Roma origin in the Kočevje area

Institutional pre-school education is the first step in the system of education, which has a special role in ensuring equitable platform and equal opportunities for development and education to all children regardless of their social and/or cultural background. Purpose of the master thesis is to explore how the principle of fairness and ensuring equal educational opportunities for children of Roma origin claiming the views of practitioners at nursery school and other institutions on the area of Kočevje. The survey covered key leaders and practitioners of institutions that deal with children of Roma origin in the empirical work, we see which policies and strategies of ensuring an equitable treatment and improving their educational level of children of Roma origin (the system level and at the level of the institutions, or (nursery schools) are more and less desirable; further, what are the views of the respondents to the said issues. Data were obtained from the survey questionnaire submissions, preferences and priorities respondents. From the analysis of the documents we used to determine status of integration of Romani children in institutional pre-school education as well as their school success in later periods of involvement in primary school. Analysis of the data reveals a potential between practitioners in the field of Kočevje-in terms of achieving efficiency and equity for Roma children in education and training; and suggests options to improve the situation in the direction of greater involvement of children in the system of pre-school education and, consequently, the achievement of better learning and performance in elementary school. The survey's overall showed that the awareness of respondents on policies and strategies for the greater integration of Romani children in education and teaching (and thus to improve the education level, and social integration) that already exist in our society, at a relatively low level. Poor knowledge of official documents that relate to the integration of Roma children in education is poor; respondents were reluctant to change legislation by effective measures to promote a better and even earlier inclusion of Roma children in the existing kindergartens (positive discrimination, quotas, priority admission, adaptation of standards ...).Respondents often attach Romans themselves responsibility for changes in direction of improvement of the situation in the field of pre-school education of Romani children, less in favour of affirmative action (or action, positive discrimination). On the basis of case studies, it is possible to conclude that the school success of Romani children in elementary school is better if they are previously included in pre-school education and regularly attend kindergarten. Despite the above, at the level of the views is interesting and encouraging the fact that in the area of Kočevje in the past two years have started activities and practices that give a large measure of hope in the improvement of the situation in the direction of better integration of Roma children in education and training. We are convinced that in some extent, the present study has stimulated the debate and initiatives at the local level