The Education of Roma Students: Integrated Education and Teacher Preparedness in Hungarian-Language Schools

This study examines the integration of disadvantaged Roma ethnic minority students in Hungarian-language vocational schools in Central European countries with highly segregated education systems. It focuses on Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary, where Roma students face significant segregation. This research investigates two Romanian, two Slovak, and four Hungarian vocational schools, selected based on their proportion of Roma students aligning with national averages. Surveys and interviews were conducted with teachers to assess their attitudes, commitment, and preparedness in educating Roma students. The main findings of this research are that schools with Roma student proportions matching national averages do not face significant challenges in co-education, teachers generally believe Roma students should complete lower secondary education, and teachers are committed to supporting Roma students but often feel unprepared to teach them. This study’s results suggest that governments should implement policies to eliminate educational segregation in vocational schools and promote inclusive education. Teacher training programs should focus on equipping educators with better tools to support Roma students. Possible directions for further research include a comparative analysis of vocational and grammar secondary schools in the integration of Roma students, longitudinal studies on the long-term educational and career outcomes of Roma students in vocational schools, and an examination of best practices in inclusive vocational education across different European countries.