The Slovak Government plans to eliminate double-shift operation at primary schools that educate disadvantaged Roma children. However, the chosen solutions deepen their segregation
The Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic is currently paying attention to solving the problem of double-shift operation faced by some primary schools in Slovakia. The Ministry has published a call for applications for the founders of these schools. They can request funding from the Recovery Plan to address the problem by expanding school capacity. However, the human rights NGOs – Center for Civil and Human Rights and Amnesty International Slovakia point out that the two-shift operation concerns practically only primary schools near excluded Roma communities, which educate Roma children in a segregated manner. Further expansion of these schools is, in their view, contrary to national and international anti-discrimination legislation as well as recent judgments of the Slovak Supreme Court. The consequence of such an expansion will only be to further maintain and deepen the segregation of Roma children in these schools. The NGOs have therefore addressed a public appeal to government officials, asking them to take immediate steps to desegregate these schools.