The Roma people have a long history of persecution. Unfortunately, they continue to experience extreme poverty and are one of the most impoverished populations in the world. Less than half of them complete their education, which leads to difficulties finding employment. As a result, many rely on government assistance to make ends meet.
The Feuerstein Institute has teamed up with ETP Slovensko, a Slovakia-based organization dedicated to bettering the lives of the Roma people, to bring the life-changing Instrumental Enrichment (IE) program into Roma Schools in Slovakia.
The pilot program, launched in August 2013 before the school year, directly affected 20 teachers and 140 students. The students selected to participate underwent a comprehensive assessment of their abilities. Their results gave our training professionals a baseline for determining the children’s skill level and helped us choose the most effective teaching method. Simultaneously, the teachers received instruction on effectively implementing the FIE program. The results from the group assessment guided our trainers in determining how and with which tools the teachers should mediate FIE to see the most significant developments in their charges. Following the completion of the training period, our staff closely monitored the teachers to ensure quality implementation.