Adult education and indigenous peoples in Norway

In 1999, the UNESCO Institute for Education (UIE) initiated an international survey on adult education and indigenous peoples. The survey aimed to provide: a reference document for indigenous peoples to help them identify similarities and differences with regard to adult education policy as well as provision and participation patterns in different regions of the world; recommendations and proposals for policy makers, international agencies and non-government organisations (NGOs) to develop new directions for adult education in cooperation with indigenous peoples; and a theoretical and conceptual framework within which to place the discussion of adult education for indigenous peoples. This document is the country study for Norway. The Sami are the Indigenous people of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. While this report mainly covers adult education for the Sami people in Norway, it also includes some information relating to Sweden and Finland. As a result of Norway's policy of assimilation, the adult Sami population did not receive an education built on their own language and culture. While the assimilationist policy is now officially abolished, its effects remain: at least half of the Sami population do not speak Sami, and most of the Sami speakers do not write their language; the population of the Sami areas has in general a lower educational level than the country average, especially among older people; and unemployment is higher in many Sami areas. The report outlines the following as aims that adult education for Samis should have: to give a professional education to qualify for jobs and reduce unemployment; to provide people in different jobs and professions with improved qualifications for their work; and to maintain and revitalize Sami language and culture.

Available English language country studies are indexed from TD/TNC 80.674 to TD/TNC 80.677 and at TD/IRD 88.361. Show less