HOW TO DEVELOP INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ EDUCATION? ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS OF SÁMI EDUCATION

Abstract

This research presents today's educational challenges of the only indigenous people group in Europe: the Sámi. The data was collected by school ethnography in Norway during 2001-2007 in six Sámi schools. In spite of the many centuries’ educational efforts, the Sámi have not managed to form their own school culture because the current school system has been imported in the Sámi areas by outsiders, namely western educators and missionary workers. Sámi education relates to a whole new dimension at a time when Norway is engaged in another Sámi primary school education reform, while in other countries inhabited by the Sámi people—Finland, Sweden, and Russia—the situation is much more challenging. In this study, results concerning the history-bound and practical problems of Sámi education are introduced. Based on the results, it will be discussed how teacher education should be developed and what issues should be paid attention to in order to develop Sámi education. Key words: indigenous people, Sámi people, cultural sensitivity, primary school education, teacher education.