Sweden - 2012
Provision of option to learn mother language other than the majority's
- Code:
- RED81
- Key Area:
- Education
- Strand(s):
- Discrimination, Equality
| Short Answer |
Yes |
| Qualitative Info |
There is no right to minority language education. There is only a duty for the municipalities to arrange it (Per Norberg, Report on measures to combat discrimination, Directives 2000/43/EC and 2000/78/EC, Country Report 2010, Sweden, (p. 69).One pupil is enough to activate this duty .
A migrant student who wishes to have teaching in her/his mother tongue is entitled to this, as long as one or both of her/his guardians has a language other than Swedish as their mother tongue and if the student has basic knowledge of the language. Yet, municipalities are only obliged to provide native language training in a language only if a suitable teacher is available.
The Government and public authorities have a duty to promote the public use of lesser-used languages . Minority groups who want to use Finnish or Sami when in contact with the five state agencies have the right to do so and be made aware of that right. The agencies covered by the demand include the Tax Agency (Skatteverket), the Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan), the equality and discrimination ombudsmen (JO and DO), as well as the Office of the Chancellor of Justice (Justitiekanslern). Other agencies are urged to at least have employees who can speak Finnish, Sami, and Meänkieli.[1]
Mother-tongue instruction and bilingual instruction have an important role to play in supporting and strengthening minority languages. As part of its supervisory responsibilities, the National Agency for Education is required to monitor the development of mother tongue and bilingual instruction for national minorities. The schools are obligated to provide such teaching as regulated in Chapter 2 Sections 9-14 of the Compulsory School Ordinance.
[1] http://www.rod.se/politikomraden/kultur_och_idrott/Dagis-pa-finska-blir-rattighet/ (accessed 2012-03-10). Per Norberg, Report on measures to combat discrimination, Directives 2000/43/EC and 2000/78/EC, Country Report 2010, Sweden, (p. 69), http://www.non-discrimination.net/content/media/2010-SE-Country%20Report%20LN_final.pdf (Accessed 2012-03-10). |
| Groups affected/interested | Migrants, Roma & Travelers, Ethnic minorities, Linguistic minorities, National minorities |
| Type (R/D) | |
| Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas | Integration - social cohesion |
| External Url | http://www.rod.se/politikomraden/kultur_och_idrott/Dagis-pa-finska-blir-rattighet/ |
| Situation(s) |
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| Library |
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