10 Pre-school education

In Norway, there are (as of 2019) 53 kindergartens with a Saami program. 31 of them are purely Saami kindergartens or with Saami departments. South Saami kindergartens are found in Snåase/Snåsa, Raarvihke/Røyrvik,  Aarborte/Hattfjelldal, Røros, Oslo, Tromsø, Trondheim.

The Norwegian Kindergarten Act requires that the kindergartens take into account Saami children’s language and culture, and that they have a responsibility to safeguard Saami culture and tradition. The municipality is responsible for ensuring that the kindergartens for Saami children in Saami districts is based on Saami language and culture. In other municipalities, conditions must be adapted so that Saami children can secure and develop their language and culture. Saami culture must be visible, by familiarizing the children with Saami culture and way of life and link the Saami perspective to anniversaries and everyday life, art and culture and food traditions.

Saami kindergartens, Saami is the main language, and the purpose is to strengthen the children’s identity in an environment with Saami language and Saami culture. The staff should be fluent in the Saami language and have knowledge of Saami culture. Saami kindergartens should also adopt Saami traditional learning and working methods, on the premises of the children in our time. The children shall get the opportunity to participate in Saami traditional activities. Saami history and cultural expressions such as duodji, joik and stories must be included as part of the nursery’s content.