E/CN.4/2000/16/Add.1 page 19 80. In 1991, the Ministry of Education drew up a Romany language study programme for Roma primary teachers (ninth to thirteenth grade) in the teacher training colleges, introducing into the syllabus the official international Romany language alphabet adopted in Warsaw in April 1990 at the World Roma Congress. The same year a collection of Romany texts was prepared for use in Romany language and literature courses for Roma primary teachers. In accordance with the 1994 syllabus, a Romany language handbook was published for students in teacher training colleges, which, along with the Romany-Romanian dictionary published in 1992, is used to teach Roma students in these colleges in their mother tongue. In 1995, a collection of texts in Romany for the second to fourth grades was published. 81. The teaching of Romany in primary schools began in a few schools in the school year 1992-1993. It is also supported by education projects initiated by the Bucharest-based non-governmental organization Romani CRISS (Roma Centre for Studies and Social Action) in the localities of Coltau and Valenii Lapusului in the department of Maramures. In 1993, the Ministry of Education gave its backing to authorizing two schools for Roma pupils (the “Rrom-Rrom” school in Caracal, annexed to School No. 6 and the Ferentari-Bucharest School) as part of the Baptist Church's project for the education of street children. 82. After completing their studies in July 1995, the primary teachers trained in Roma classes began in their schools to organize groups of pupils of their own ethnic group during the school year 1995-1996 to study the Romany language. 83. The Ministry of Education has also started a coherent programme of affirmative action for Roma, from kindergarten to university. The same Ministry also inaugurated the hiring of school inspectors in each of the 42 counties of Romania. During the academic year 1999-2000, more than 150 Roma students benefited from the special State University places reserved for Roma under an affirmative action programme. There are many other Roma students in practically all the universities in Romania who prefer not to take up such special places but to pass instead through “ordinary” entry channels. 84. The Association of Students and Young Roma against Racism, however, in interviews with the Special Rapporteur, denounced practices which since 1997 have aimed at abolishing the Romany language and literature department of the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literature in the University of Bucharest. Despite the interest expressed by a large number of students, only 13 out of the planned 20 places have been reserved for the study of the Romany language, which jeopardizes the department’s existence. The Association has asked the Rector of the University to intervene to ensure the acceptance of a sufficient number of students who have applied to enter the Romany language department, so that the department can be maintained. 4. Legislation against racial discrimination 85. The Department for the Protection of National Minorities has already drafted a bill against all forms of discrimination, which will be submitted to the Government and the Parliament after obtaining the necessary signatures from all interested ministries. This bill makes provision for the prohibition of racial discrimination in public life, education, employment, health, public and social services, private dignity, etc. The Government hopes that this law will contribute to reducing significantly the number of manifestations of racial