Schoolchildren in Spanish schools to be taught gypsy history for first time

FLAMENCO culture lies at Spain’s heart, but now for the first time its colourful traditions are coming to its classrooms.

Castille y Leon has become the first Spanish region to include ‘Gypsy studies’on the 2016-17 school history curriculum.

“This is an act of justice,” said education minister Fernando Rey. “We want to defend the culture and history of the gypsy people.”

Around 800,000 people in Spain classify themselves as Gypsies. Romany communities have been recorded in Spain for over 700 years.