The pre- and post-pandemic educational challenges of Roma children were discussed.

The workshop, which addressed the problems experienced by children attending schools in disadvantaged districts of Edirne before and after the pandemic and explored possible solutions, was attended by Trakya University Rector Prof. Dr. Erhan Tabakoğlu; Provincial Director of National Education Dr. Önder Arpacı; Director of the Institute of Romani Language and Culture Research Assoc. Dr. Gökhan Ilgaz; Director of the Social Sciences Institute Dr. Levent Doğan; Lecturer Tülay Tekin Yılmaz; Research Assistant Muhammed Tağ; as well as other academics and teachers.

Held in the Trakya University Senate Hall and opened with a moment of silence and the Turkish National Anthem, the workshop began with remarks from Assoc. Dr. Gökhan Ilgaz. He explained that organizing this event had been one of his top priorities since taking office:

“As an instructor involved in educational programs, both what we learn and what we teach are grounded in field data collection. We fully understand how valuable it is to gather data directly from the field, and your opinions and recommendations will be invaluable for the steps we take moving forward. I believe we will develop solutions together,” he said, thanking the participating teachers.

Emphasizing the motto “Hand in Hand for Education, Together to the Summit,” Edirne Provincial Director of National Education Dr. Önder Arpacı noted their dedicated efforts to raise educational standards in Edirne and highlighted ongoing collaboration with all stakeholders, including Trakya University. Wishing the workshop well for the benefit of students and teachers, he added:

“We are working to foster development within our schools, and because today’s discussions will present field data, they are extremely important. We will identify problems, propose valuable ideas, and—with your support—reach concrete solutions today.”

Rector Prof. Dr. Erhan Tabakoğlu recalled successful past projects with the Provincial Directorate of National Education and described initiatives aimed at supporting children in disadvantaged neighborhoods. He said:

“To break the cycle of learned helplessness among our children, we have launched significant efforts since day one. Under the leadership of my wife, Dr. Nilgün Tabakoğlu, and with the dedication of our State Conservatory faculty, the ‘You Are My Future’ project has touched the lives of 55 children. They performed before Mrs. Emine Erdoğan and the spouses of governors from all 81 provinces at the Presidential Complex; they brought the Council of Europe in Strasbourg to life with a Çanakkale folk song; and they gave a concert for the world’s children in the Grand National Assembly on April 23. Today, 18 of these children continue their musical education at our conservatory, and the rest are thriving in their studies. Through the Design and Skills Workshops, we opened university doors to 220 children, introducing them to both our institution and our city. With small gestures, we received great feedback. We believed in them and helped them believe in themselves. We will continue to create projects that bring these young people into society as responsible individuals. I deeply appreciate the dedication shown by our teachers to raising responsible citizens. Our children are everything to us—their joy is worth more than anything.”

Hoping the workshop would mark a turning point toward problem-solving, Rector Tabakoğlu concluded by thanking Dr. Arpacı, Assoc. Dr. Ilgaz, and all participants.

After the opening remarks, attendees watched the project film for “Ambassadors of the Heart – You Are My Future,” produced by the university. Next, Lecturer Tülay Tekin Yılmaz provided an overview of the workshop’s objectives and structure.

The full-day workshop was conducted in two sessions. In the first session, participants discussed:

• “What Can Be Done to Improve Academic Success?”

• “How Can the Issue of Absenteeism Be Addressed?”

• “How Can We Help Students Adapt to School Rules?”

In the second session, they tackled:

• “What Were the Effects of the Pandemic on the Educational Lives of Roma Children?”

• “What Can Be Done to Mitigate the Pandemic’s Impact?”

Working groups then shared their findings with all attendees.

The workshop concluded with closing remarks by Assoc. Dr. Gökhan Ilgaz, followed by the presentation of participation certificates.