The value of education as a factor in the modellingof a successful career of Roma university graduates

Abstract

Good and successful life of each individual in contemporary society depends greatly on the level of completed education. Many research studies show that deficit of adequate education is one of the main factors of social and above all economic exclusion of the Roma population. Thus, in the long-term perspective, the educational system is the most important instrument that mitigates the negative impact of the marginalization of the Roma people and facilitates elevation of their social status. Systematic measures supporting the education of Roma children and their success in the school go hand in hand with the expectations arising from the great efforts and considerable financial means invested towards this objective. In this study, however, we do not concentrate on defining the causes of the Roma students’ academic failure. On the contrary, we view the issue from the opposite viewpoint, namely, from the perspective of the factors that have a positive influence on their educational trajectory. Using the method of narrative interviews with university-educated Roma students, we tried to identify the important moments and specifics that contributed to the formation of their successful educational careers leading to university graduation. Thus, the resulting findings help us understand the problem issues from a positive angle and emphasize the role of individual determinants for assurance of Roma students’ success, as well as for serving as an example to Roma intelligence in general.