Inclusion in preschools in Ostrava

10/12/2015

Evaluation showed that tailored preschool support contributes to inclusion in education.

Why Early Childhood Education

Several studies emphasize that the earlier high-quality preschooling begins for socially disadvantaged children, the better their access to primary education. Segregation of children — even in kindergartens — leads to poorer academic outcomes in later school years.

Project "Together to Kindergarten" in Ostrava

The main goals of the evaluated project were to provide high-quality early childhood education and desegregated primary schooling for socially disadvantaged Roma and non-Roma children. The project was implemented by the organizations Beleza Ostrava o.s. and Bílý nosorožec (Bílý Nosorožec o.p.s.) in two Ostrava districts: Poruba and Mariánské Hory–Hulváky. Its principal donor was the Roma Education Fund, with the statutory city of Ostrava as official partner and co-financier. The project began in November 2012 and was scheduled to run through October 2015.

Ongoing Evaluation of the Project

An external interim evaluation was conducted by Inka Bartošová Píbilová and Iveta Klusáková between January and March 2015. It summarizes the project's progress since its launch in November 2012. Methodological highlights include:

Participatory approach – key stakeholders were involved in all phases of the evaluation, including the initial scoping, field research, and final assessment.
Assessment of early-education quality – approximately 25 % of the children underwent individual diagnostic testing to assess applied learning methodologies, not individual abilities.

A more detailed explanation of the methodology is available in this three-page article (in Czech).

Key Findings

The project is unique – it is integrated in the established system, provides comprehensive support to socially disadvantaged families, and engages in advocacy with key institutions.
A total of 123 children took part, exceeding the original target. Most were enrolled in kindergartens or non-segregated primary schools.
The project improved the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of participating families.
"Mothers' Clubs" (tailored pre-school activities) were of high quality.
More directors of kindergartens and primary schools became involved, resulting in children entering a wider range of schools.
Attendance at Mothers' Clubs and kindergartens was relatively low, primarily due to migration, health issues, adaptation difficulties, and insufficient clothing or footwear. Migration was the main reason families disengaged.
A key challenge was parents' fear of non-segregated schools (those with less than 30 % Roma or socially disadvantaged children) and their limited understanding of all available options, especially regarding primary-school selection.
To date, the project had not been sustainable, but it showed a great potential – further development and financial support were needed.