The Multiple Stories in Finnish Roma Schooling

Regardless of the good reputation of the Finnish basic education system, Finnish Roma children fall behind the overall average in their performance of academic skills: Roma children face more challenges completing basic education and have more repeated school years. Furthermore, compared to the average, Roma youth apply less for upper secondary education and thus their general level of education remains low. However, looking at Roma education solely through problematic representations only provides a partial picture. In this article, based on two separate sets of fieldwork among Finnish Kaale Roma, we examine how teachers, Roma activists and mediators perceive the educational trajectories of Finnish Roma children and youth. The article seeks to scrutinize Finnish Roma schooling within the framework of the Finnish National Policy on Roma (NRIS). The analysis highlights the multiplicity of voices in the field, discusses the possibilities, and thus problematizes the single-aspect discourse on Roma education. Many countries in Central and Eastern Europe struggle with school and residential segregation, but Finnish Roma face different challenges.

The Scope and Content of Section 75(1)(a) of the Zimbabwean Constitution: An International Law Approach

Despite the recent enactment of the Zimbabwean Constitution which provides for the right to basic education, complaints, reminiscent of a failed basic education system, have marred the education system in Zimbabwe. Notwithstanding glaring violations of the right to basic education by the government, no person has taken the government to court for failure to comply with its section 75(1)(a) constitutional obligations, and neither has the government conceded any failures or wrongdoings. Two ultimate questions arise: Does the state know what compliance with section 75(1)(a) entails? And do the citizens know the scope and content of their rights as provided for by section 75(1)(a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe? Whilst it is progressive that the Education Act of Zimbabwe as amended in 2020 has addressed some aspects relating to section 75(1)(a) of the Constitution, it has still not provided an international law compliant scope and content of the right to basic education neither have any clarifications been provided by the courts. Using an international law approach, this article suggests what the scope and content of section 75(1)(a) might be.

The Basic Education in Sweden and Brazil: some similarities and differences

This article proposes to analyze the basic education system of Sweden and to compare it with the basic education system of Brazil. We consider it relevant to compare the two systems of Basic Education, despite the significant differences between the two countries (culture, history, size, population density, etc.), since the quality indicators of basic education in Sweden are considerably better than Brazilians. Our objective is to show the main similarities and differences between the two systems of Basic Education. In order to do so, we first described the structure and functioning of the Swedish Basic Education system, little known to us Brazilians, so that, in our conclusions, we highlight the main similarities and differences between them. The methodology adopted was qualitative exploratory research, with a review of the literature of authors who work with comparative studies in the educational area.