Today, the Roma population numbers around 10 000 to 12 000, 0.2% of the total population. It is only possible to give an estimate as the Finnish law on the protection of personal data prohibits the registration of sensitive information indicating e.g. ethnic origin. The Roma are scattered throughout the country but most of them live in the urban centres of southern Finland.
The Roma have maintained a strong commitment to their traditions and cultural values, which differ from those of the majority population.
Today, it is mainly elderly Roma who employ the Romani language, more specifically the Kàlo dialect of it, and it is they who speak it best. Middle-aged and young adult Roma mostly use Finnish in everyday communication, but many of them are able to understand Romani. Efforts to promote the teaching of Romani have succeeded in revitalising its use.
Since 1989, Roma children have been able to learn Romani in some comprehensive schools, initially only at evening classes, but today also as part of the daytime school curriculum. In 1994, a Roma Education Unit (today a Team responsible for Roma issues) was set up by the National Board of Education to develop and implement a nationwide schooling programme for the Roma community and to promote the Romani language and culture. The Team organises courses and seminars and develops and provides education and information services. It also publishes a regular information bulletin, Latšo Diives, mainly in Finnish.
An amendment to the Comprehensive School Act in 1995 made it possible for Romani to be taught as a mother tongue. Teaching of Romani may be provided if a group of at least four pupils can be formed.
Under the Basic Education Act (628/1998), schools are also able to choose Romani as a language of instruction. The Upper Secondary School Act (629/1998) contains corresponding provisions. It is not possible, however, to take a matriculation examination in Romani as a mother tongue. Romani may also be taught within the framework of pre-school education. But despite the existing legal framework enabling teaching of and in Romani and teaching of Roma culture, the provision of such education has been hampered by a lack of teachers and teaching materials.
Basic education
As Finnish citizens, the Roma are subject to compulsory education. Nevertheless, the schooling of Roma children does involve certain difficulties, which have only recently started to be taken seriously. Cultural differences, the teachers’ limited knowledge of Roma culture and inadequate co-operation between the home and school mean that Roma children discontinue comprehensive education more often than children from the majority population. Traditionally, the Roma families have assumed strong responsibility on early childhood care by themselves, which may have resulted in insufficient school preparedness (e.g. “semi-lingualism” and inadequate fine motor skills have been observed). Hence, for many a reason, the children’s schooling is troubled from the very outset. Schools have not always been able to pay enough attention to these problems, but Roma children have all too readily been placed in remedial classes.
Young Roma families today feel strong about the importance of education and are eager to provide their children already with pre-primary education.
Some projects to support Romany children and their parents in matters relating to schooling have been launched with the aim of supporting young Roma children to complete basic education and continue in further education and training.
Education beyond basic education
General upper secondary education and higher education still attract little interest among Roma population. This is a consequence of that the Roma homes lack a history of education and that the Roma population’s perception of education is different of that of the mainstream population. Increasingly, attitudes are getting more positive. Today, the Roma value education, and seek to support their children’s schooling so that they can acquire professional skills and obtain vocational qualifications.
Adult education for the Roma population in Finland has mainly been arranged through means provided under labour policy (labour market training/adult employment training), primarily as vocational training and as preparatory training that provides guidance towards an occupational field and improves job-search capacities and IT skills. Preparatory training has enabled the participants to fill gaps in inadequate basic education (completion of the syllabus of the comprehensive school, adequate basic studies for further and vocational training, and familiarisation with society’s structure and services) and hence improved the students’ chances to enter the labour market.
The first phase of vocational training provided for Roma people in 1979 was in the fields close to their way of life, such as training for horse keeping and trotting-race, sewing the Roma national dresses and other handicrafts of Roma culture. Training in practical nursing has also been provided. Today, training is oriented increasingly towards educational sectors which meet the requirements of modern society.
The Roma are most often involved in planning training for the Roma, ensuring the needs and special features of their culture be taken into account and increasing their motivation to take part in training. Particularly good results have been obtained when the initiative for training has originated amongst the Roma population.
Teachers of the Romani language perform numerous other tasks besides teaching the language. To address the needs for qualified professionals in the field, the requirements for the Further Qualification of Culture Instructor and Specialist Qualification of Culture Instructor for Roma were issued by the National Board of Education in 2006. These qualifications enable the Roma to obtain a vacancy with the municipalities as contact persons, cultural interpreters, school assistants and teachers of the Romani language.