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[PRAGUE, 1 February 2008] - Some Czech elementary schools continue to reject children of illegal immigrants despite a new law under which these children have the right to attend school, according to the Czech Counselling Centre for Refugees.
The new law took effect on January 1. Under the old law, children of refugees had to present a permit for their stay in the country to be allowed to attend school. Lawyer Pavla Burdova Hradecna from the counselling centre told the paper that several illegal migrants had problems enrolling their children in school. "Headmasters have no reason to demand a legal stay permit from the child's parents," Tereza Bruchova from the Education Ministry press department confirmed. Such children are not a financial burden for elementary schools because the state covers the costs of their education, according to experts. If a school rejects such a child, it may be fined by the Czech School Inspection. Burdova Hradecna pointed out that school representatives do not understand the newly amended law. She added that pupils have to give an address of permanent residence to school officials but the law explicitly says children of illegal immigrants are exempted from the duty. No official data on illegal immigrants living in the Czech Republic are available, but their number is estimated at up to 300,000. Unfortunately, many Czechs still believe that illegal migrants are nothing but criminals, Burdova Hradecna told the paper. "However, these are normal people, often in desperate need," she said. Further information