Digital divide exposed: Slovak court awards compensation to Roma girl

A Roma girl from Jarovnice in Slovakia sued the Ministry of Education for inadequate access to education during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to sparse access to the internet and digital technology. She was awarded a compensation of 3,000 euros (approximately $3,358). This stands as the first verdict of its kind not only in Slovakia, but also in Europe.

"The verdict highlights a significant failure on the part of the state during the pandemic. The state failed to provide high-quality education to Roma children who lacked access to the internet and digital technology, and who lacked digital proficiency. It is apparent that the education of these children was neglected by the state for an extended period of time," said Vanda Durbáková, the girl's representative, as quoted by the Slovak daily newspaper 'Korzár'.

According to Durbáková, the verdict carries a broader implication. For the first time, Slovak courts have drawn attention to the widening "digital divide" between the majority society and marginalized groups.

The lawsuit, filed in November 2022, challenged the state-imposed shift to remote learning, which required having internet access, a computer and the competence to navigate it, at a point where regular lessons at primary schools were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, her family did not own a computer, and the state made no attempt to provide one. Furthermore, the state failed to provide any effective form of basic education through means other than digital technology.

The girl's grandmother criticized the school's lack of interest in Roma children during the pandemic. She claimed that their method of education was merely distributing weekly exercise sheets, with no additional support or evaluation provided.

"My granddaughter was in the first grade, and I didn't want her to lose the knowledge she had already attained. In my view, the school's ineffective education of Roma children amounts to discrimination. I'm relieved that the court found in my favor," she said.

She highlighted that during the pandemic in Slovakia, a substantial number of Roma children experienced similar difficulties in accessing education to her granddaughter.

The judgment is yet to be finalized and the defendant reserves the right to appeal.