From September, Slovak schools will have a new community and educational assistant, replacing parental assistants and assistant educators. The role will connect schools with families and help address attendance and social barriers. Anyone over 18 can apply, with no mandatory qualification, and schools will provide training.
However, Roma-issues expert Vladimír Rafael warns that conflict resolution requires appropriate social-work and psychological training. Analyst Michaela Bednárik says funding could also be a problem. Schools receive 225 euros per socially disadvantaged pupil, meaning they would need around 50 such pupils to cover an assistant’s minimum wage. She warns some schools may be unable to fill the posts.
Source: STVR
Patrícia Balajová, Photo: TASR
