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CONTENTS
Annual Work Plan 2011
Government of Greenland
Ministry of Education and Research
April 2011
2
Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................. 4
0 Executive Summary .......................................................................................................... 6
0.1 Introduction to the Annual Work plan with brief readers’ guide (Chapter 1)...................... 6
0.2 Introduction to the Greenland Education sector (Chapter 2) ............................................ 6
0.3 Status of GEP – Lessons learned and main challenges in 2011 (chapter 3) .................... 8
0.4 Budgets, activities and targets for 2011 (Chapter 4) ........................................................ 9
1 Introduction to the Annual Work plan with brief readers’ guide.................................. 11
1.1 Annual Work Plan in relation to Greenland Education Programme..............................11
1.2 Brief readers guide ......................................................................................................14
2 Introduction to the Greenland Education sector........................................................... 16
2.1 Demographic, geographical and linguistic aspects ......................................................16
2.2 Political, economical and strategic aspects..................................................................18
2.3 Horizontal strategies....................................................................................................21
2.4 Advisory bodies...........................................................................................................24
2.5 An overview of the education system ..........................................................................25
2.6 Elementary school.......................................................................................................27
2.7 Continuation schools ...................................................................................................28
2.8 Vocational Education and Training (VET)....................................................................28
2.9 High schools................................................................................................................30
2.10 Higher education .........................................................................................................31
2.11 Training courses offered by Piareersarfiit and VET......................................................32
3 Status of the GEP; lessons learned and main challenges in 2011............................... 35
3.1 Status of GEP in general .............................................................................................35
3.2 Challenges within the GoG..........................................................................................36
3.3 The Elementary school................................................................................................36
3.4 The Continuation Schools ...........................................................................................37
3.5 Oil and Mineral sector .................................................................................................39
4 Budgets, activities and targets for 2011 ........................................................................ 41
4.1 Total budget of GoG and the budget of GEP...............................................................41
4.2 Budgets, activities and targets within the focal areas...................................................42
4.2.1 Focal area 1: Preparatory courses and programmes youth educational and training programmes.............................................................................................................................. 43
4.2.2 Focal area 2: Competence (skills training) courses, the Piareersarfiit and unskilled labour in the work force........................................................................................................................ 47
4.2.3 Focal area 3: Higher education and strategic sectors ................................................................................................
3
4.2.4 Focal area 4: Cross-cutting initiatives........................................................................................ 53
4.2.5 Focal area 5: Dropout rates and completion ............................................................................. 54
4.2.6 Focal area 6: Building and housing ........................................................................................... 59
4.2.7 Focal area 7: Structural monitoring, development potential and perspectives.......................... 61
4
ABBREVIATIONS
ACERC Agency for Culture, Education, Research and the Church (merged with MoCerc from
1 January 2011)
AEU Recognised Vocational Education
AIR Annual Implementation Report
AMA Labour market courses (mainly for skilled workers)
AWP Annual Work Plan
DTU Denmark’s Technical University
EC European Commission
EU European Union
EUR Euro
FA Finance Act (the Budget)
FSA The Leaving Examination of the Elementary School – 10th grade
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GEC Greenland Economic Council
GEP Greenland Education Programme
GoG Government of Greenland
GU Gymnasiale Uddannelser (High School)
HE Higher Education
HHX Commercial High School
HTX Technical High School
ICT Information and Communication Technology
ISCED International Standard Classification of Education
KANUKOKA Association of Municipalities
LEB Life Expectancy at Birth
Mill Million
MoCERC Ministry of Culture, Education, Research and the Church, dissolved march 2011
MoER Ministry of Education and Research, from march 2011
MoFA Ministry of Family Affairs (formerly a part of Ministry of Family Affairs and
Health) (dissolved march 2011)
MoFCCGE Ministry of Family, Culture, Church and Gender Equality, from march 2011
MoF Ministry of Finance
MoH Ministry of Health
MoHIT Ministry of Housing, Infrastructure and Transport
MoIaLM Ministry of Industry and Labour Market
PD Pedagogical Diploma
PEFA
Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability
Piareersarfiit Career guidance and counselling centres
PKU Competence development courses (mainly for unskilled workers)
POEB Political Economic Report (Politisk Oekonomisk Beretning)
PKU Personal development courses
RDS Regional Development Strategy
SG Statistics Greenland
VET Vocational Education and Training
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On March 18th 2011 the Government of Greenland cabinet members' (Ministers')
responsibilities were redistributed. With the change of Ministers a reorganisation of the
ministries followed. This affected the Ministry of Culture, Education, Research and the
Church (MoCERC) as follows:
• the areas of Culture and the Church were moved to the Ministry of Family Affairs,
which became the Ministry of Family, Culture, Church and Gender Equality.
• the two remaining areas Education and Research form a Ministry called the Ministry
of Education and Research (MoER).
The Minister responsible for MoER also has the responsibilities regarding Nordic
Cooperation.
The reorganisation, although dividing the former MoCERC, did not result in any changes
regarding the responsibilities related to the Partnership Agreement or the Greenland
Education Programme (GEP).
0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Annual Work Plan (AWP) for 2011 follows the same structure as the work plan for 2010. This
report reflects information available as by end of December 2010, except for the data on results 2010,
which were available in mid-February 2011 and subsequently influenced the targets set for 2011.
0.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE ANNUAL WORK PLAN WITH BRIEF READERS’ GUIDE (CHAPTER 1)
The Annual Work Plan (AWP) is prepared by Government of Greenland (GoG) every year on the basis
of the visions, strategies and intended results regarding the Greenland education and vocational
training sector with specific reference to the Greenland’s Education Programme (GEP). An important
part of AWP is to report the GEP funds allocated to different activities. Another important part is to set
specific targets for the year in progress regarding various elements of the education sector, such as
number of attendances and the dropout rate. The AWP is submitted by GoG to the EC and is a
condition for receiving the Fixed Tranche (80%) of the annual EU sector budget support.
AWP is also a tool for those responsible of GEP, i.e. MoER, the Executive Steering Committee, and
the Planning Steering Committee for GEP. It is furthermore a tool for communication between the GoG
and the EC about actual plans, targets and indicators for monitoring the implementation of GEP.
GEP plays an important part of the overall education policy in Greenland. The program has a clearly
stated vision and a precise goal for achieving this vision. The vision is to obtain a higher standard of
living and quality of life through better education. The goal for reaching the vision is that 2/3 of the
work force should have academic qualifications or vocational skills by 2020.
The target groups in the first phase of GEP (2006-12) are 1: elementary school leavers and 2:
Unskilled workers under 50 years of age who are either unemployed or in vulnerable branches of the
market and/or for breadwinners.
GEP is organised in seven focal areas:
1 Preparatory courses and programmes - youth educational and training programmes
2 Competency (skills training) courses
3 Higher education and strategic sectors
4 Cross-cutting initiatives
5 Dropout rates and completion
6 Buildings and housing
7 Structural monitoring and development
These seven focal areas are divided into a variety of activities that receive funding from GEP. The
results achieved within the seven focal areas are measured and evaluated yearly by 17 statistical
indicators.
0.2 INTRODUCTION TO THE GREENLAND EDUCATION SECTOR (CHAPTER 2)
The population of Greenland is ageing according to the latest demographic projection models from
Statistic Greenland. The population size of the age groups that will enter the education sector the next
five years is decreasing. This will have a significant effect on the elementary schools where the total
number of pupils will decrease by 13% the next five years. In the upper part of the education system a
decrease of students is expected at about 7%. Also increasing trend of people migrating from
settlements to cities, primarily due to difficult living conditions and limited job opportunities in
settlements, is expected. Although only 15% of the pupils within the elementary schools in Greenland
live in settlements it is of outmost importance to ensure that these pupils are given the same education
opportunities as pupils from bigger cities.
Public expenditure on education as a percentage of Greenland’s Gross National Income (GNI) is
about 11 %. This is higher than in other Nordic countries that resemble the way Greenland’s education
sector is organized and financed. Elementary schools take up 46 % of the expenditures. VET and High
School education accounts for 28 % and higher education for 15% and the remaining costs relate to
courses (4 %) and administration (7 %).
The education policy and strategy are underlined by various reforms and some specific initiatives all
aiming at making education linked to the culture of the Greenlandic society, most important ones are:
- A reform of the elementary school was put into force in 2003. The reform was evaluated in
2010 and adjustments are expected to be made according to some of the results obtained
from the evaluation. An evaluation of the first 10 years cohort that has followed the principles
of the reform in all grades is expected to take place in 2013.
- A reform of the VET-schools has been put into force by 1 January 2011 containing a new
financing system for increasing incentives to ensure higher attendance and a higher
completion rate. The VET-schools are with the new reform governed by boards, consisting
among other of persons from labour market organisations, thereby ensuring a more demand-
driven system.
- A proposal for a reform of the high school education system is in progress and will be
presented to the parliament for endorsement at the fall assembly in 2011. The reform is
expected to be put into force by August 2012. The reform will ensure that the ways of teaching
and the curriculum within the High School education have focus on the student’s background
and environment, making the education more relevant for the High Schools students and
thereby raising the number of completions.
- A reform of the day-care system is in progress, looking into models that can ensure good and
stabile day-care to children founded in Greenlandic traditions.
- An advanced study grant system has been established in order to encourage young people to
enter and get an education. This system is similar to the Danish system and also allows study
loans.
- A general policy/law of language was put into force 1 July 2010. The purpose of the law is on
the one hand to secure and strengthen the Greenlandic language while at the same time to
remove barriers for the use of other languages so that a multi-lingual society can pave the way
for a sustainable and prosperous society.
- A proposal in 2010 from GoG to work on two strategies 1: A Regional Development Strategy
with the overall goal for Greenland to develop a self-supporting economy, 2: A Strategy for
Children and Young People. The two strategies have a broad and horizontal perspective
and will include education policy related themes. The latter will be put forward for
endorsement for the government at the autumn assembly in 2011.
- The Tax and Welfare Commission of Greenland is expected to publish a report in March 2011
including an analysis of the education system, especially of the elementary school system as
one of the key factors in raising the overall welfare of the society.
- A national ICT strategy for Greenland is currently being drafted and will be made ready for
presentation at the Parliament’s spring 2011 gathering.
Besides these reforms of the education system, focus is on strategic sectors where qualified labour is
expected to be needed in the future. Presently there is also a need for labour in many sectors, such as
the education sector and the health and social sectors. Sectors within raw material and mineral
exploitation are also expected to grow in the future and therefore labour possessing specific
qualifications and skills will be in high demand.
A new continuation school will start up in the school year 2011/2012 situated in Maniitsoq and the food
processing School will be merged with the Hotel and Restaurants school in Narsaq by mid-2011. The
temporary continuation school in Kangerlussuaq has been closed down by the end of the school year
2009/2010.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) schools constitute the biggest share of the education sector
in Greenland and are offered at 11 schools scattered around Greenland. The financial crisis was
expected to give a continuous negative impact on the activity of the VET schools because a lack of
apprenticeship places, which is a precondition for enrolment into a VET education. However, it seems
that the VET schools have made it through 2010 the same level of performance as in 2009, measured
by the numbers of attendances and apprenticeships.
High school education is offered at five schools in Greenland. In 2010 two new tracks of ordinary high
school education were established in Sisimiut to ease the pressure of applicants at the other high
schools. However both a lack of school buildings and of sufficient dormitory capacity provides
problems.
At higher education for bachelor, masters and PhD academic degrees the numbers of completed
students has increased steadily since 2005. Almost all higher education is concentrated in Nuuk at
Ilimmarfik (campus area) that opened in 2008.
Besides the formal education system, the VET schools and the Piareersarfiit provide a number of
training courses for skilled and unskilled employed workers (AMA) and for unskilled workers and
employed and unemployed adults (PKU). Also, upgrading on various non-literary competencies is
provided.
0.3 STATUS OF GEP – LESSONS LEARNED AND MAIN CHALLENGES IN 2011 (CHAPTER 3)
At present 42 % of a year group is enrolled into education 1 year after leaving elementary school. The
number hasn’t changed significantly the last few years. If the progress of GEP is to continue and the
overall level of the education level is to be raised, this number has to be raised. Right now there
seems to be several constraints for a further development; Constraints regarding apprenticeship
places and dormitories. Furthermore only the best students with good language skills (mainly Danish
and English) are at present enrolled. Further progress in GEP requires that also students with fewer
skills in language subjects enrol and are able to successfully complete their studies.
A decreasing number of apprenticeship places in Greenland is problematic for the successful
graduation of students from many commercial educations. Initiatives will be taken to increase the
number of apprenticeships, and also to establish more school apprenticeships. New organizational
models with school boards and new financing models have been introduced at most VET schools.
The primary limiting factor for high schools is the physical capacity of the high school buildings both
regarding capacity for education and for dormitories. Establishment of new student dormitories has
been given high priority and new buildings are expected to be finished in 2011 and 2012.
Language is becoming more and more important in the Greenland education sector. If GEP is to
succeed in increasing the rate of young people that enter education a special attention has to be
directed towards language. An element could be to establish supporting function for those students
whose abilities in Danish are weaker.
An evaluation of the reform of the elementary school since 2003 was carried out in 2010. An important
finding was that the reform has not yet been fully implemented in all schools. Implementation has
mainly taken place in the bigger schools in the cities and to a lesser degree in smaller schools in the
settlements. In 2011 and onwards attention will be directed towards having the principles of the reform
implemented to a larger extent everywhere.
Continuation schools in Greenland are aimed primarily at pupils from outer districts and settlements.
The continuation school offers an extra school year where pupils have the possibility of improving their
examination results before applying for high schools, VET schools etc. An important purpose is to
secure that more of these pupils will proceed in an education and not become marginalized. The cost
per pupil is higher for studies at Greenlandic continuation schools than studies in Denmark. However,
a quantitative study of the effect of the continuation schools would be highly desirable. It is important
to know whether attendance in the continuation school makes a difference on language abilities and
other competencies required for post-elementary and higher education.
Expectations to upcoming industries within the oil and mineral sector give rise to new demands on
specific types of labor and therefore also specific challenges for the education sector. A development
of a total education programme for all short term courses regarding research and production of oil
products has been initiated at a conference held in December 2010 at the newly established
Greenland School of Minerals and Petroleum in Sisimiut. This process has been initiated in order to
ensure that the relevant know-how and expertise in this new area will be anchored in the Greenlandic
Vocational Education and Training schools. Concrete plans for making education possible in all
involved branches: oil/gas, languages, building and construction, iron and metal, shipping, food
production and commercial has been made and the first courses will start in the first quarter of 2011.
Preparatory work regarding the establishment of an aluminum melting plant and connected
hydroelectric plants will continue in 2011 in cooperation with the private company Alcoa Inc. The
issues related to starting up production of aluminium near Maniitsoq will be put on the agenda by GoG
at the Parliament Spring Assembly in 2013 where it is foreseen that concrete models of ownership and
other collaboration issues between GoG and Alcoa will be discussed.
0.4 BUDGETS, ACTIVITIES AND TARGETS FOR 2011 (CHAPTER 4)
The total education budget for 2011 is € 167.1m, thus accounting for about 19 % of the total budget of
GoG (€ 864.1 m). Of the education budget GEP has €49.8m the largest part, € 15.0m, or 30.2 %
allocated to focal area 6, Building and Housing. Focal areas 2, 3 and 4 each receives around 15 %
from the GEP budget. Finally focal areas 5 and 7 receive 1.7 % and 4.9 % respectively.
Many of the activities under GEP are ongoing and continued from previous years but new activities
under some of the focal areas are foreseen. The most important ones to be mentioned for 2011 are:
Focal area 1 Preparatory courses and programmes - youth educational and training programmes:
- A new continuation school in Maniitsoq from August 2011.
- The High School reform is planned to be in force in August 2012. MoER is intensifying the
work with the reform initiatives in 2011.
Focal area 2: Competency (skills training) courses
- Two temporary Piareersarfiit-centres in the settlements in 2011 will be established as a pilot
project.
- PKU competence development courses will focus on mining, offshore industry and tourism
- The mining school located in Sisimiut will start operating in 2011
Focal area 3: Higher education and strategic sectors
- New specialization modules with social education
- Within health workers new modules will be established, among others one aimed at working
as social assistant in the settlements.
Focal area 4: Cross-cutting initiatives
- The rules for receiving study grants are slightly changed in 2011. Students that receive study
grants from Denmark are allowed to receive a free travel between Denmark and Greenland
every year. This new possibility should be seen as a form of intervention regarding reducing
drop-out rates for students studying abroad. There can be lots of reasons for students to
choose to receive study grants from Denmark, one explanation could be, that there is a differ-
ent system for taking out loans during your time of studying.
Focal area 5: Dropout rates and completion
- A plan to evaluate on going activities and funds for these, in relation to the drop-out rates and
the report on drop outs from High Schools done in 2010 by Anthropologist Lotte Kjær. The
form of this evaluation has not yet been decided, it might not result in a report, but rather in a
request to the finance act for 2012 to have more money allocated for this area in order to be
able to expand the activities and develop new ones as well.
Focal area 6: Buildings and housing
- 166 new student units in dormitories are expected in 2011. The expansion takes place in Ilu-
lissat and in Nuuk. Plans for raising permanent housing capacity in Aasiaat and Qaqortoq are
also ongoing. GoG is also considering buying existing hotel facilities to meet the demand for
dormitories.
Focal area 7: Structural monitoring and development
- A two day stake holder conference organized by GoG in January 2011 in Ilulissat with partici-
pants from all parts of the education sector and labour market organizations.
- A new project on Primary Learning Assessment (PLA) to measure and informal use real com-
petencies is being piloted in the South municipality of Greenland in 2011.
- Revise the current mid- to long term targets, and decide in what form to continue these
- Accumulate all the evaluations done within different areas relating to the GEP, sum up the
recommendations from the Tax- and Welfare Commission and the Regional Development
Strategy and use all the information to devise a plan for the coming years up to year 2020.
For most of the targets the value set for 2011 imply a slowdown of growth compared to the growth
rates experienced for earlier years. The slowdown reflects the financial crisis and its negative impact
of apprenticeship places. Also the lack of capacity of buildings and dormitories has an influence on
this. Positive growth rates in all indicators are, however, still expected in 2011.
11
1 INTRODUCTION TO THE ANNUAL WORK PLAN WITH BRIEF READERS’ GUIDE
1.1 ANNUAL WORK PLAN IN RELATION TO GREENLAND EDUCATION PROGRAMME
The Annual Work Plan (AWP) is prepared by the Ministry of Education and Research (MoER) within
the Government of Greenland (GoG) every year on the basis of the visions, strategies and intended
results regarding the Greenland education and vocational training sector with specific reference to the
GEP. The AWP is prepared using all information available by the end of the year before (i.e.
information available by the end of 2010 for AWP 2011) of how the education sector and the policy
surrounding it is expected to develop in the year to be described in the report. This means that new
information that is available during the drafting and finalization of the report in the first and second
quarter of 2011 is neglected. This new information will however be incorporated in the Annual
Implementation Report (AIR) for the same year (i.e. 2011) to be finalized in 2012 and described as
“deviations” from the original plan. With this approach the reports, AWP and AIR, will be distinct by
them selves and have a forward and a backward looking focus respectively.
One important part of AWP is to report the GEP funds allocated to different activities. Another
important part is to set specific targets for the year in progress regarding various elements of the
education sector, such as number of attendances and the dropout rate.
The finalized AWP is submitted by GoG to EC and is a condition for receiving the Fixed Tranche
(80%) of the annual EU sector budget support. For 2011 the final draft is expected to be delivered to
EC by the end of first quarter and the final approval is expected to take place in the second quarter of
2011. A GEP team established within The Ministry of Education and Research (MoER) is responsible
for the drafting and submission of the AWP as well as the AIR report to EC. In addition to the
responsibility of reporting and cooperation with EC services the team is also responsible for carrying
out the administrative day-to-day functions as well as longer term planning of the GEP activities.
AWP 2011 is the basis of the AIR 2011 to be prepared in 2012. The AIR evaluates the difference
between the targets set in AWP with the actual achieved results in 2011. Also the AIR 2011 will
compare the budget with actual expenditure (outcome) for the implementation year 2011. The
approved AIR submitted to EC is a precondition for receiving the Variable Tranche of a maximum of
20% of the EC sector budget support. The precise percentage that accrues to GoG is established by
comparing the set of statistical targets relating to the education sector (set in AWP) with the actual
statistical outcome to be presented in AIR. A calculation method presented in AIR leads to the precise
percentage to be paid to GoG.
AWP is a tool for those responsible of the program, i.e. MoER, the Executive Steering Committee, and
the Planning Steering Committee for GEP. It is furthermore a tool for communication between the GoG
and the EC about actual plans, targets and indicators for monitoring the implementation of GEP1.
When the AWP and the AIR are finalized they are made public on GoG’s official homepage on the
Internet. However, as they are quite complex and contains much information to be absorbed, an
executive summary is prepared and submitted to the parliament twice a year, at the spring and
autumn assemblies respectively. These summary reports are also made public on GoG’s homepage.
GoG is constantly promoting GEP in the Greenlandic society with regard to visibility and transparency.
Visibility is assured by promoting education to the general public through television spots and articles
in newspapers. It is the policy of GoG to actively take part in the discussion of education policy in
1 See Annex 4, Terms of Reference for the Steering Committee for Sector Programme and the GEP.
12
public life and the mass media. Transparency is assured by explaining and designing information
material for the public regarding the GEP in an easily understood and pedagogical way, highlighting
topics of general appeal and relevance for the general public.
Greenland Education Programme (GEP)
The overall structure of GEP is illustrated in Figure 1. The GEP is organised as a monitoring system
where the vision and goal of the programme are evaluated on the basis of quantitative indicators.
Figure 1: Overview of GEP
Vision: The aim is to achieve higher standards of living and improved quality of life through better
education. The strategic background for GEP is based on the analysis of the education and labour
market requirements for the future, prepared by the GHRG in 2004, with the title; "Progress through
Training, Education and Development of Competencies", which resulted in formulation of the
Greenland Education Programme (GEP) 2006-2020, adopted by Parliament in 2006. In support of
GoG’s overall education reform programme, the European Commission through the Programming
Document for the Sustainable Development of Greenland 2007-2013 (PDSD) has decided to support
the Education Sector in Greenland, in the form of a Sector Policy Support Programme to be
implemented through Sector Budget Support amounting to a maximum of € 25 million (in 2006 prices)
per year for the period 2007-2013.
Main goal: To contribute to a higher standard of living and quality of life through development of better
education, technical skills and knowledge with the strategic goal, that “2/3 of the workforce should
have academic qualifications and/or sufficient vocational skills by 2020”. Qualifications are to be
measured by international standards using ISCED level 32 as indication of these qualifications.
Target groups: The GEP is divided into two phases. During the first phase of the GEP (2006-2012)
focus is on the target groups:
2 In Greenland this is equivalent to a high school diploma or an education within the area of vocational
and Educational training.
13
• Elementary school leavers.
• Unskilled workers under 50 years of age who are either unemployed or in endangered
professions and/or for breadwinners.
Focal areas: The GEP is organised in 7 focal areas, listed in figure 1. The activities within the seven
focal areas are the means for achieving the results as intended and described in the strategic goals
and the long-term visions. Some of the results expected might or will be influenced by factors not
foreseeable or predictable at the time for implementing the AWP 2011. Deviations from the planned
results might occur due to impact of external or internal factors and in such cases means will be taken
to suggest adjustments in the planning process and to the performance of activities. The 7 focal areas
are divided into a variety of activities that receive funding from GEP.
The results achieved within the 7 focal areas are measured and evaluated yearly by 17 indicators.
Indicators: To monitor and evaluate that the activities have the expected impact on the vision and the
objectives, GoG and the EC have agreed on a set of statistical performance indicators. The indicators
define what the education sector is supposed to deliver (input indicators) in terms of contributions to
the sector as a whole (expenditure allocated to education), and immediate results from the activities
(output, outcome and impact indicators). These results contribute to achieving the main objectives.
Annex 5 and 7 contains a description of the indicators, including the extent to which they have an
impact on the variable tranche. Annex 9 states the baseline and detailed results for the indicators.
Input indicators: Measure the financial resources provided and the administrative and regulatory
measures taken (for example, resources allocated, resources used, measures taken, laws passed).
Output indicators:: Measure the immediate and concrete consequences of the resources used and
measures taken (for example, schools built, teachers employed, nurses trained) The definition of
output covers those goods and services "supplied", “produced” or "provided" by the public sector with
the inputs.
Outcome indicators: Measure the results at the level of beneficiaries (for example, gross enrolment
rates in elementary schools). The definition covers the outcomes (or results) from the use and
satisfaction of the goods and services produced by the public sector, when supply equals demand.
Impact indicators: Measure the consequences of the outcomes in terms of wider objectives (for
example, literacy rates, health improvement). The definition covers the wider effects of the outcomes
but there might also be higher level impacts, related to broader objectives – growth and income
poverty, for example. In order to turn it into a net impact indicator the effect of other educational
programmes and other external effects (not related to GEP) has to be assessed and accordingly
subtracted.
Figure 2 gives an overview of the various indicators of GEP and they are grouped as input, output,
outcome or impact indicators.
14
Figure 2: Indicators of GEP
1.2 BRIEF READERS GUIDE
Chapter 2: This chapter provides the reader with a brief overview of the education sector and provides
an introduction to the magnitudes and proportions involved when monitoring and analysing the
education sector in Greenland. It is of key importance to have the specific demographical and
geographical aspects of Greenland in mind when looking at the education sector and these aspects
are briefly being described in the beginning of the chapter. References to the political environment and
related strategic aspects having influence on the GEP are also included in this chapter. Finally, a
general description of the various parts of the education sector is presented. While the chapter only
provides a broad overview more elaborate descriptions of the topics are to be found in the chapters
and annexes below. In particular, annex 3 provides a more detailed description of the education
system, its content and on-going reforms.
Chapter 3: This chapter provides a status analysis on the GEP development conducted as a self-
assessment. The self-assessment briefly considers the progress and setbacks experienced during
2010, highlighting the factors that have had an impact. The self-assessment is based on future-related
considerations and reflections, but relates to subjects and issues to be addressed in 2011.
Chapter 4: In its essence this chapter provides the work plan for GEP in 2011. The chapter presents
the overall budget for GoG and for GEP. The focal areas are presented one by one. For each focal
area a brief status is given, on-going activities in 2011 are listed, and planned (new) activities for 2011
15
are described. The indicators are presented as per focal area combining statistical back data with
2011 targets set by MoER.
16
2 INTRODUCTION TO THE GREENLAND EDUCATION SECTOR
2.1 DEMOGRAPHIC, GEOGRAPHICAL AND LINGUISTIC ASPECTS
As per 1 January 2010 56.452 inhabitants were living in Greenland. The largest part of the population,
namely 15.790 inhabitants, was living in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. Sisimiut and Ilulissat are also
considered large with 6.254 and 4.992 inhabitants respectively. The rest of the population is scattered
around the coast, living in smaller cities and settlements. A total of 47.461 inhabitants (84%) were
living in the cities, while the remaining 8.991 (16%) were living in the settlements.
For the education sector the size of the year groups of persons between 15-29 years is of particularly
interest. As per 1t January 2010 there were 4.484 persons in the year group 15-19 years, 4.344 in the
year group 20-24 years and 3.937 in the year group 25-29. The number of persons leaving elementary
school each year is approximately 900 pupils. Population wise Greenland is comparable to micro
states3 providing a specific challenge when monitoring population indicators by annual observations
4.
A steady tendency towards an ageing population is apparent from the yearly demographic forecasts
that are carried out by Statistics Greenland (SG)5. Greenland therefore follows the demographic trends
observed in almost all OECD-countries. This trend will put pressure on the public finances in the
coming years and policy actions must be taken to secure sound public finances and fiscal
sustainability in the medium and long run6.
However, as the analysis shows in the above-mentioned report, in the coming five years the size of
the population that enters various parts of the education sector is decreasing quite dramatically. The
trend is most significant with elementary school where the total number of pupils will decrease with
around 13% in the coming 5 years. Also in the upper part of the education system a decrease is
expected at around 7%. It is worth mentioning that the demographic forecast is quite reliable in the
short run since the population in the age groups 6-29 years already is born. See figure 3. The policy
implications of the observed trends have been analysed by the Economic Council of Greenland and a
short summary of this analysis is presented in section 2.4.
Finally, a significant trend that is apparent from the demographic forecasts is the movement of people
from settlements to cities. This trend is primarily due to fact that living conditions in the settlements
generally are difficult and job opportunities scarce. With regard to education policy the young people in
the settlements will however still pose a serious problem in the coming years, especially within the
elementary school. Although only 15% of the pupils within the elementary schools live in the
settlements it is of outmost importance to ensure that these pupils are given the same education
opportunities as pupils from bigger cities.
3 However, contrary to most micro states Greenland has its population spread over a large land area thereby
making Greenland a special case comparatively. 4 The challenge when analysing on annual variations in small population numbers is to judge whether the
observed yearly variation is due to a random factor or whether observed changes are due to a beginning trend
amenable to some underlying causal processes, i.e. whether the observed annual variations are statistical
significant. The small numbers also make it difficult to apply statistical methods as to estimate robust trends
based on ex-post time series for making future extrapolations. 5 See www.stat.gl for references and descriptions of these forecasts.
6 The challenges confronting the fiscal policy until 2040 is analysed in detail in chapter 3 of the first report of The
Economic Council of Greenland that was published in November 2010. The report can be found (in Greenlandic
and Danish only) on www.nanoq.gl
17
Figure 3: Demographics developments 2009-2040 (index 2009=100) by age groups
Source: Statistics Greenland
Infrastructure between cities and settlements in Greenland is hampered since there are no road
connections between cities and settlements. Airplanes or ships carry all transportation within
Greenland. Transportation is expensive and the weather occasionally hinders the traffic by sea as well
as by air.
The IT system is overall functioning well in Greenland. A sea cable for data transmission was
established in 2008 and is expected to lower costs and improve speed on use of Internet. In 2009/10
the education sector was the single biggest costumer of Tele Greenland and spending ca 1.3 mil. Euro
per year on IT traffic. A new proposal for a revised payment schedule for IT traffic instead of a volume
based structure has been submitted to the parliament. In the medium and long run less costly IT traffic
will facilitate the use of ICT in education. Currently restricted access to websites is necessarily to
enforce in order to lower expensive data transmissions. However an important problem that remains to
be resolved is a massive lag of educated school teachers with IT skills. Teachers and pedagogical
seminars need more understanding of the importance of having good IT skills and the perspectives of
using IT in educations. Also a general lack of hardware equipment and maintenance of local IT
systems in settlements is a problem. There is a need of locally appointed responsible IT persons. A
national ICT strategy for Greenland is currently being drafted and will be made ready for presentation
at the Parliament’s autumn 2011 gathering.
When it comes to the elementary school, that forms the basis for all further education, the challenge is
to ensure that pupils can attend schooling in the area where they live. It is, however, not possible to
gather all elementary school education in a few places. Elementary schools must be placed closed to
where the pupils live. The implication of this is that a great number of rather small elementary schools
are scattered all over the country. This poses at least two challenges to GoG and the municipalities:
• It is costly to establish and maintain small schools, and to teach only a few pupils, implying
high unit cost per pupil.
• It is difficult to get enough qualified teachers to work and live in the settlements, implying a
significant challenge for the education sector planners to ensure adequate coverage of fully
qualified teachers.
In many cases it seems to be necessary to make special efforts to convince pupils and parents
especially from the small settlements that education is a necessity in a modern sustainable Greenland.
This challenge is primarily related to the cultural characteristics and family patterns of the Greenlandic
18
population. The pattern of the population scattered around the country is becoming increasingly
important in the political discussion of how the society will develop the coming years. A strategy for the
development of the regions of Greenland will be developed in 2011. See section 2.3.
Special conditions and challenges in Greenland leads to the moving from home of many young people
(students and/or apprentices) aged 15 years and above in order to get an education. The youngsters
have to live on their own - far away from family and friends - at a relatively early stage of their lives. A
major issue for the receiving institutions is therefore to train and support these youngsters how to cope
with this new life situation securing that the individuals continue their study and/or work in spite of
inconveniences forced on them. The challenge in that respect is, among other things, to ensure that
there are dormitories and housing available for those who want to either study or live and work where
this is possible. It is also important to ensure that new dormitories to be constructed have a sufficient
supply of pedagogical supplies and makes sure that the young people are in contact with grown up
people.
In order to encourage young people to enter and get an education an advanced study grant system
has been established7. Since so many students have to leave home in order to study or work, and
since it is so important for the country to educate and train people, there is no alternative to such a
study grant system.
Finally, the linguistic situation is another important factor to take note of. Greenland is a bi-lingual or
tri-lingual society, with Greenlandic being the official language and Danish very often used as a
second language with the latter particularly used in the larger cities and the GoG administration.
English is taught from the third grade in elementary school. The linguistic skills differ considerably and
are very much dependent on whether a person is being raised and lives in a big city, where Danish is
often used, or whether he/she lives in a smaller city or a settlement where Greenlandic is spoken
predominantly. Most of the educational material is in Danish and many teachers, especially within the
high school education and higher education, are primarily Danish speaking which causes problems for
many students. Addressing the language problems has therefore been given a high political priority in
recent years and more text books - in particular in elementary schools - are now issued in
Greenlandic.
A general policy/law of language was put into force 1 July 2010. The purpose of the law is to assure
clear and formulated rules for the policy regarding language. The purpose of the law is on the one
hand to secure and strengthen the Greenlandic language while at the same time remove barriers for
the use of other languages so that a multi-lingual society can pave the way for a sustainable and
prosperous society. An important part of the law is that all private enterprises with a total employment
of 10 persons or more and all public institutions are to develop their own policy regarding language.
2.2 POLITICAL, ECONOMICAL AND STRATEGIC ASPECTS
In 2008 GoG underwent large organizational changes, which was fully implemented by 2009; however
a fundamental change took place when self-rule was implemented in Greenland on 21 June 2009. The
implications of self-rule is among other things the opportunity to repatriate over 33 administrative
functions currently undertaken by Denmark, at the own expenses of the GoG8.
7 The study grant system is very similar to the Danish system. Students can receive an amount of approximately
€550 per month. Besides that, students are allowed to receive an interest free loan of to a maximum of €800 per
semester. Greenlanders have access to many lines of education in Denmark, provided that these lines are not
supplied in Greenland. Greenlandic students can choose between Greenlandic and Danish study grant rules. 8 See AIR 2009 for more detailed description of issues and events influencing the implementation environment in
2009. See also MTEF 2010 for a thorough description and analysis on the changed conditions related to Self-
Governance.
19
By 1 January 2010 Greenland took over the responsibilities in mineral resources and the activities
associated. At the same time as the self-rule was implemented, Greenland changed government, with
the former opposition assuming office. The current cabinet is based on political cooperation between
the three political parties Inuit Ataqatigiit, Demokraatit, and Kattusseqatigiit Partiiat, who formed a
Coalition Agreement on June 10 2009.9 The new government has not brought any significant changes
to the Greenland Education Programme, as well all parties in Parliament has unanimously been
supporting the visions and plans of the GEP since its beginning. The GoG maintains the vision of a
self-sustainable Greenland through education, growth industries and gradual repatriation of areas
formerly undertaken by Denmark.
Comparatively, the Greenlandic dedication to education stands out as a high-prioritized area when
looking at the relative size of the total education budget including elementary school.
Figure 4: Public expenditures as a percentage of GNI (2009) for Greenland and various countries
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Greenland Faroe
Islands
Denmark Iceland Sweden Norway Finland EU(27)
Source: Greenland (Statistics Greenland), Faroe Islands (Hagstova), Other (Eurostat)
Public expenditure on education as percentage of Greenland’s Gross National Income (GNI) is around
11 %10
. This is higher than in other Nordic countries that resemble the way Greenland’s education
sector is organized and financed. See figure 4. Compared to countries that resemble Greenland’s
specific geographical conditions, like Faeroe Island and Iceland, the Greenland percentage is
significantly higher. Comparison of this kind can, however, be misleading and it should always be kept
in mind that the very specific geographical conditions of Greenland have a tendency to raise the unit
costs within the education sector thereby simply reflecting the fact that provision of high quality
education in Arctic environments with a highly dispersed population is very costly.
In Figure 5 total public expenditure on education is broken down into types of education. Elementary
schools take up almost half of the expenditures. VET and High School education accounts for 17%,
reflecting that the GEP has special focus on these youth educations in phase 1.
9 Description of the three parties and their coalition agreement can be found on www.nanoq.gl
10Normally educational expenditures are compared internationally by way of using Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) as denominator. However, due to the large block grant received as income from Denmark, as there is a
significant difference between Greenland’s GDP and GNI, a difference not being seen in many other countries the
best and most valid comparison is made by using Greenland’s GNI as the denominator
20
Figure 5: Public expenditure by types of education (2009)
Administration
(7%)
Courses
(4%)
Higher education
(9%)
VET and High
Schools
(17%)
Elementary school
46%
Source: Statistics Greenland
The budget of the education sector is drafted a year before implementation by MoER and is accepted
by the GEP steering committee before being passed to the parliament. The budget for the coming year
is accompanied by budget projections for another 3 more years. A GEP-reserve fund is part of the
budget, showing expenditures not allocated to specific projects. This reserve fund allows for flexibility
when special conditions call for more funds to be provided.
Besides the significant allocation of public funds the education policy and strategy are underlined by
various reforms and some specific initiatives all aiming at making education more linked to the culture
of the Greenlandic society11
.
A reform of the elementary school was put into force in 2003 (“The Good School reform”). A basic
element of this reform is that pupils and teachers are setting individual goals for learning. The reform
also supports pedagogical principles putting the individual pupil in the centre of the education process.
Finally, a system of national tests was put into force in 2006. The first pupil cohort that has undertaken
education under the reform on 10-year elementary education will leave school in 2013 and further
years have to be awaited to make a robust outcome evaluation. However a preliminary survey took
place in 2010 to see if adjustments to the reform are needed. Main summary of the findings of this
survey are summarised in chapter 3.
A reform of the VET-schools will be put into force as per 1 January 2011. The reform has a two-fold
purpose: Firstly, the financing mode of the VET schools will be changed so that the allocated budget
will be dependent on the number of classes attending the education and in long run complete. The
intention is that this new finance mechanism will provide an incentive for the individual school
management to ensure higher attendance and a higher completion rate as well as provide a higher
degree of transparency for planning purposes by use of calculated unit cost per student thereby
allowing for comparisons between schools. Secondly, each school will now be headed by a board,
which members are in close contact with the labour market. The board is entitled to ensure that the
VET education becomes more demand-driven and thereby reflecting the needs of the private
enterprises for educated work force in Greenland.
11
For example, courses for national garment making by use of local materials and animal skins have been
established to uphold traditional sewing and cloth making techniques.
21
Currently, the preparation of a suggestion for a reform of the high school education system is in
progress and will be presented to the parliament for endorsement at the fall assembly in 2011. The
reform is expected to be put into force by August 2012. Full responsibility for the high school education
was transferred from Denmark to the GoG by 1 January 2009. Meanwhile, there is still a close
cooperation with the Danish Ministry of Education regarding the preparation of examination papers
and appointment of examiners. Specialised administrators within MoER will be responsible for carrying
out the reform in close cooperation with the Danish Ministry of Education to insure that the high school
education remains comparable with Danish standards once the reform is implemented. The overall
goal of the reform is to ensure that principles of education are founded in the Greenlandic culture. The
reform is seen as a natural follow up of the reform of the elementary school.
A reform of the day-care system is also in progress, headed by two experts in MoER. As research on
education shows, the foundation for a successful entry into education is laid in the early years of
childhood12
. With this scope a project related to the day-care reform financed under GEP will be
initiated. The reform group is looking into models that can ensure good and stabile day-care to
children founded on Greenlandic traditions. No time line for finishing the project has been established
as yet.
Besides these reforms of the education system, focus in the education policy is on strategic sectors
where qualified labour is presently needed or is expected to be needed in the future. Presently there is
a need for labour in many sectors, such as the education, health and social sectors. Sectors within raw
material and minerals exploitation are expected to grow in the future and therefore labour possessing
certain qualifications and skills will be in high demand. Also, though on a smaller scale, there is focus
on education within non-literal qualifications, such as the making of the national garment, currently this
takes place at the folk high school for women in Sisimiut.
2.3 HORIZONTAL STRATEGIES
In 2010 the work on two strategies were launched by GoG. The two strategies have a more broad and
horizontal perspective and will therefore include education policy related themes. These strategies are
to be fully defined in 2011 and will be put forward for endorsement in the assembly autumn 2011. The
finalized strategies will have inputs regarding education policy and expected developments within the
area of education produced by the GEP-team and MoER. Formulation of the strategies has been
based on input from the ministries working with the areas in the strategies, i.e. MoER has written input
to the Regional Development Strategy to ensure coordination with existing areas/programmes/plans
and strategies.
It should be clarified that these strategies do not have implementation plans for all their sub strategies.
The strategies focus on different areas and draw attention to coordination needs between different
areas, this does not necessarily mean that a new sub strategy needs to be formulated and
implemented but rather that there needs to be focus on the area either intensified, redirected or new
focus. Some of them should be seen as recommendations to an area under evaluation and
restructuring or a new area under development. The numerous recommendations regarding education
will be taken in through either direct implementation or worked in the existing areas when the work
evaluating or redirecting these area begins or finishes.
Regional Development Strategy (RDS)
The Regional Development Strategy consists of several sub strategies each with its own timeframe
and implementation plan.
The Regional Development Strategy is an important part of the Parliament's industrial and
development policy. The overall goal of this Strategy is for Greenland to develop a self-supporting
economy. The Regional Development Strategy consists of two individual but interlinked parts. Firstly a
12
See for instance Carneiro og Heckman (2003).
22
range of strategies has been developed on the regional levels within areas such as industrial and
business development, vocational and educational training educations, technology, infra-structure and
culture. In addition a set of strategies has been developed for national level to support the regional
strategies. On national level 7 strategies have been drawn up. Three of them are directly related to
education whereas education plays a part in the remaining four:
An intensified effort to raise the quality of the elementary school sector.
• Goal:
o Raising the quality in the elementary school. Special focus will be the schools in settle-
ments
• Strategy: During 2011 an overall strategy will be drawn up to ensure, that when leaving the ele-
mentary school the pupils can meet the demands of the high schools or the vocational and educa-
tional training educations (VET). Focus will be on:
o Improving the pupils’ language skills.
o Ensuring that the quality of the elementary schools in settlements is high enough.
o Drawing up a plan of construction for the elementary school sector. Among other things it
should be decided whether pupils from settlements should be sent to boarding schools in-
stead of school homes primarily for students from settlements moving to towns to attend
the last years of the elementary school.
Ease the transition from elementary school to high school or vocational and educational
training educations (VET)
• Goal:
o To have more pupils start high school or an education within VET immediately after finish-
ing elementary school.
• Strategy: A strategy will be drawn up to ease the pupils’ transition from elementary school to high
school or VET. The strategy will focus on:
o Improving and intensifying the guidance of the oldest pupils in the elementary school as
well as ensuring that the guidance will continue after leaving the elementary school.
o Ensuring dormitories for the students in high school and VET that meets the demands of
very young students who are moving away from home maybe for the first time. These
dormitories should be offering different kinds of guidance to the residents.
o Ensuring that transition programmes (AEU) between elementary school and high school
or VET are streamlined. It might be a solution to base them on the different high schools
or VET instead of Piareersarfiit.
A separate education plan alone for the high schools and the VET13
• Goals:
o To have more pupils start high school or an education within vocational educational train-
ing immediately after finishing elementary school.
o To ensure that more students complete high school or VET.
o To ensure enough capacity in high schools and VET in order to meet the pressure of ad-
mitting in more students.
• Strategy:
o 1a: Increasing the efforts to lower the drop out level
o 1b: drawing up a plan for securing more apprenticeships places.
o 2: Laying down some principles for the future structure of the high schools and VET. Most
importantly it has been decided to have fewer and therefore bigger educational institutions
in order to create professional environments and to keep the cost per student down.
Ensuring a work force that is both professionally and physical mobile
• Goals:
13
This plan needs to be a part of the current GEP, however the intention of highlighting it in the Regional Development Strategy
is to direct focus to these educations and their present and future students.
23
o To increase the number of active participants in the work force
o To ensure that efforts in skills development and retraining is demand driven and focused
on increasing the productivity of the work force
• Strategies:
o Developing an overall strategy to ensure the physical mobility of the work force. This
strategy should motivate unemployed workers in areas with very few job opportunities to
move to areas where job opportunities are higher. An important aspect of this strategy is
to ensure enough housing facilities in places where labor is in shortage.
o Developing a strategy for skill development and retraining as unskilled workers are more
likely to become unemployed whereas the demand for skilled workers is high.
The final three national strategies involve the educational sector indirectly:
Establishing business clusters around growth industries
• Goal:
o Ensuring more growth businesses, particularly within the sectors of raw materials, energy,
tourism and food stuff
o Ensuring an enhanced own production and increased productivity
• How the strategy involves the educational sector:
o To ensure that the new growth businesses employ Greenlandic co-workers instead of for-
eign labor, it becomes important that young people attend high school or VET, and that
the qualifications of the current work force is enhanced through course activities.
Modernizing the inshore fishing sector
• Goal:
o The inshore fishing sector needs to be modernized and earnings of the individual fisher-
man need to be raised. This means, that the number of employed in the sector needs to
be adjusted to match the basis of resources.
• How the strategy involves the educational sector:
o When the reform will be implemented some fishermen might decide to leave the sector.
These people should be offered retraining enabling them to become occupied in another
sector.
Increased sales of Greenlandic food mainly in Greenland
• Goal:
o To increase the level of supply by exceeded sales and an improved competitiveness.
o Increasing the level of the earnings of the fishermen, the hunters and other food manufac-
tures.
• How the strategy involves the educational sector:
o The qualifications of the employees in the sector need to be enhanced through course ac-
tivities.
Besides the seven national strategies a number of cross-disciplinary national efforts within
infrastructure, facilities and planning will be planned as well.
The Strategy for Children and Young People
Living conditions of children and young people constitute a focal area for GoG and is highlighted in the
coalition agreement. Several studies have pointed to the fact that many children and young people are
subject to poor living conditions, not only regarding economic possibilities, but also broader conditions
are included. Much international research shows that a good and secure childhood lays the foundation
later on for motivating young people to go into education and for a successful completion.
In 2010 an amount of € 3.3m (not part of GEP budget) was allocated in the Fiscal Act for the years
2010-2013 to strengthen the work for children and young people and to work on prioritized projects. In
24
the spring of 2010 a steering group consisting of permanent secretaries, among others from MoCERC,
was established to propose the vision and mission of the strategy. The parliament endorsed the
strategy and its elements in June 2010. Since then a number of working groups have been
established to deal with various aspects of the strategy. MoCERC is represented in the working group
that deals with the day care system and it is assured that there is coordination between the activities
under the GEP concerning the day care reform and the overall strategy for children and young people.
The participation at the high level steering group assures coordination of the overall education strategy
and the strategy for children and young people.
The finalized strategy will be put forward for endorsement for the parliament on the autumn assembly
in 2011. Implementation will take place over the coming years pending decisions made by the
parliament.
2.4 ADVISORY BODIES
In 2009 and 2010 GoG established two advisory bodies. These bodies were mainly established to
describe the economic situation in the short and long run and to give advice on the most appropriate
economic policy to conduct. Both bodies have shown considerably interest in the education sector that
are seen as the key factor in promoting a high and sustainable economic growth. The advice based on
analysis received from these bodies, although not binding, are expected to stimulate the debate on the
education sector and is likely to some extent to influence the education policy from 2011 and onwards.
Economic Council of Greenland
When self-rule was implemented GoG decided to establish a new and independent Economic Council
of Greenland14
. The members of the council are three Danish experts within economics and three
Greenlandic economists with a broader knowledge of economics and social affairs. This new council
replaces the former Advisory Council of Greenland’s Economy that was headed by the Danish State
Ministry.
The council’s first report was published in November 2010. It contained a specific chapter dealing with
the education sector, especially the elementary school. The first part of the chapter dealt with
allocation of financial resources allocated by the municipalities to the elementary school. The analysis
takes as its starting point the fact that the number of pupils have been decreasing in the period 2000-
2010, especially from 2008 to 2009 where the 11th grade was abolished. However, the number of
teachers has not gone down accordingly. This was seen as a problem of budget control at the local
level.
The analysis has been met by critics IMAK (The organisation of elementary school teachers) pointing
out that the abolishment of 11th grade should not have an impact on the number of teachers since the
number of teaching hours remains the same (the same hours are being taught now over a period of 10
years). The response from IMAK is annexed to the council’s report.
The second part of the chapter deals with a comparison of pupils from cities and settlements
respectively. A cohort of pupils born over the period 1971-1976 is being analyzed. The analysis
compares pupils from settlements and towns with regard to their income. The analysis shows that
even if the pupils have attained the same education level, pupils from the settlements achieve a lower
income. The difference in income is significant and amounts to 10-20%. At least from a
macroeconomic perspective this constitutes a major problem since the society as a whole accrues
lesser tax revenues15
.
Tax and Welfare Commission
14
This new council substitutes the former Economic Council of Greenland that had been in operation since 1979. 15
The analysis makes use of sophisticated regression analysis (Mincer regression models).
25
In 2009 GoG established a Tax- and Welfare Commission. The background for the Commission is the
observed differences in income and wealth that are reflected in a high economic inequality16
. The
purpose of the Commission is to propose initiatives to raise the economic welfare of the inhabitants,
especially among the poorer groups of the society. The government appointed the members of the
Commission17
. The head of the Commission Torben M. Andersen was also head of the Danish Tax
and Welfare Commission that presented their report to the Danish government in 2008.
The Commissions primary tasks were originally to look into the tax system as well as the supplies of
welfare services and benefits. However, it soon became clear that the Commission also had to deal
with the education system, especially the elementary school, as education is seen as the key factor in
raising the overall welfare of the society. The analysis of the education sector has been carried with
assistance from MoCERC as well as many discussions have taken place between the Commission
and MoCERC.
The Commission’s final report will be published in March 2011.
2.5 AN OVERVIEW OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
Greenland’s formal educational system consists of:
• Elementary school
• High School
• Vocational Education and Training school
• Higher Education
The system resembles in many ways that of Denmark (and many other western countries). Educations
not offered at Greenlandic education institutions can be attained in foreign countries (primarily
Denmark) with study grants from Greenland. Table 1 show the total number of students achieving
study grants divided into Greenland and abroad. Especially within higher education many students
have to go abroad to study18
.
Table 1: Number of active students (September 2010)
Greenland Abroad Total
VET schools 1.457 58 1.515
High Schools 1.326 118 1.444
Higher education 620 453 1.073
Total 3.403 629 4.032
Source: MoCERC
The linkages between the different parts of the education system are illustrated in Figure 6a and
Figure 6b.
16
Measured by way of the Gini- Coefficient Greenland has an equality of around 40%. 17
The members of the Commission are: Torben M. Andersen (Professor in Economics at Aarhus University), Peder Andersen (Associate professor in Economics in Copenhagen), Nina Banerjee (former head of Greenland’s Science Centre for Children and Youngsters), Peter Schultz (Head of Government of Greenland) and Magga Fencker (Head of Social Affairs, Qaasuitsup Kommunia). MoF serves as secretary for the Commission. 18
This significant number of students going abroad is the starting point of the “brain-drain study” that is in progress.
26
Figure 6a: Overview of the formal education system
Figure 6b: Overview of training courses
Almost all education is organized within the government sector and is free of charge. There are two
private elementary schools, located in Nuuk and Sisimiut. The VET schools and the university offer
27
seminars on smaller scale that are based on fees. The organization of the education sector is in this
respect similar to that of the Nordic welfare states like Denmark based on general tax financing.
2.6 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Although not being a part of the GEP, the elementary school is the foundation for all further education.
It is therefore considered important to give an introduction to this sector to understand the problems
and challenges that confront the various parts of the education system later on.
The elementary school system in Greenland is a compulsory 10-grade system and in the school year
2009/2010 the total number of pupils was 9.139, cf. Table 2 below. In 2008 the 11th grade was
abolished, meaning that the double year group was leaving elementary school. The double year group
still presents a challenge to the education sector.
Table 2: Pupils and teachers 2009/2010
Cities Settlements Total
Pupils 7.705 1.434 9.139
Teachers, total 882 250 1.132
Teachers with formal qualifications 715 118 833
Teachers without formal
qualifications 167 132 301
Source: MoCERC
There are 24 schools situated in the cities and since 83% of all pupils’ lives in the cities it is regarded
that these schools can optimise utilisation of the resources in a well balanced way.
However, 54 schools are operating in the settlements (school year 2009/2010) and 12 of these have
less than 10 pupils and 13 have less than 20 pupils, cf. Table 2.
Table 3: Number of pupils per school in the settlements 2009/2010
Number of pupils Number of schools %
Less than 10 pupils 12 22
Less than 20 pupils 13 24
Less than 40 pupils 18 34
Less than 60 pupils 7 13
Over 60 pupils 4 7
Total 54 100
Source: MoCERC
Elementary schools are confronted with a number of problems these years. The problems and
identified solutions were dealt with in an evaluation that took place in November 2010. First and
foremost it has become apparent that a significant number of pupils leave elementary schools without
having passed the formal tests in 10th grade. The number is estimated to around 100-200 pupils or
between 10-20% of a year group. Some of these pupils show up later in life at Piareersarfiit-centres
(described below).
A second problem is that only 42% of a year group is enrolled into education two years after leaving
elementary school, the remaining 58% typically have a position in the labour market, within traditional
service industries like retail trade. The number of pupils to enter into education immediately or soon
after leaving elementary school will have to increase significantly if the overall goal of GEP is to be
reached.
A simple, but important, indicator of the resources devoted to the elementary school is the ratio of
pupils per teacher. Overall the ratio is 8.1 pupils per teacher. This is lower than compared with
28
Denmark where the overall ratio is 11.2. However, when looking at the ratio of certified teachers/non-
certified teachers and their dispersion between cities and settlements the difference is significant; By
far the most certified teachers are employed at city schools.
Test results from the National Centre for Research into Education show that pupils from settlements –
when compared to pupils from cities - actually perform better in Greenlandic language, have equal
performance in mathematics, but the same pupils are found to underperform significantly in Danish
and English. As most education in later stages is given in Danish and English the low linguistic skills of
pupils from settlements could be an obstacle later in life.
A problem of the pupils from the settlements is that many of them have to leave the settlements by 8th
grade and onwards and move to the bigger cities, where education at this level is supplied. They are
typically living in a special type of dormitories, school homes. It has become clear that issues such as
supervision and organisation of the school homes differ from city to city, even from home to home
within the same city. It has also been detected that the pedagogical framework in these school homes
is not sufficient and sometimes not present at all. A priority will be given to ensure that school homes
will be operating with more uniform rules and supervision guidelines.
2.7 CONTINUATION SCHOOLS
There has been a long tradition for young Greenlanders, who wish or need an additional school year,
to attend continuation schools in Denmark, which focus on improving grades/skills enabling the
youngsters to enter into further education. On average 250 Greenlandic youngsters attend
continuation schools in Denmark every year. Analysis carried out by MoCERC shows that pupils
attending continuation schools in Denmark have a significantly higher probability of going into
education afterwards, showing a number of 62% compared to the average of 42%.
In 2008 four temporary continuation schools were established in Greenland in connection with the
double year group, which proved a substantial success as compared to the number of received
applications at the schools. The initiative was prolonged in 2009, where one continuation school in
Qasigiannguit was made permanent together with a temporary branch in Kangerlussuaq. These two
schools had around 160 pupils, mainly from smaller cities and settlements.
It has been decided to close the temporary branch in Kangerlussuaq by the end of the school year
2009/2010, a decision made on the basis of recommendations by the board of the continuation school
in Qasigiannguit. It has furthermore been decided to establish a new continuation school in Maniitsoq
in the buildings that until mid-2011 houses Fishing Industrial School. The food processing School will
be merged with the Hotel and Restaurants school in Narsaq by mid-2011. The new continuation
school will begin in the school year 2011/2012.
2.8 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (VET)
The VET-schools are specialised so that all vocational education, within a specific area, takes place at
only one VET-school.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) is offered at 11 schools that are scattered around in
Greenland.
• Iron and metal School (Nuuk)
• Building and Construction School (Sisimiut)
• Commercial School (Nuuk)19
• Commercial School (Qaqortoq)20
19
The Commercial School in Nuuk offers a wide range of traditional lines aimed at working in commerce and IT.
29
• Hotel and Restaurants School (Narsaq)
• Food processing School (Maniitsoq) – until mid-2011
• Skippers School (Paamiut)
• The School for Hunting and Fishery (Uummannaq)
• Social Workers School (Ilulissat)
• Greenland School of Minerals and Petroleum 21
(Sisimiut)
• Design School (Sisimiut)
The relative numbers of students attending the various types of education supplied by the VET-
schools are displayed in table 4.
Table 4: Number of students at VET schools (September 2010)
Branch/education Number
Iron and metal 318
Building and construction 355
Commercial 363
Hotel and restaurants 151
Skippers 58
Hunting and fishery 16
Social workers 206
Design 23
Service 25
Total 1515
Source: MoCERC
As per 1 January 2011 the Iron and Metal School in Nuuk and the Building and Construction School in
Sisimiut are merged as an organizational unit with one principal. However, the schools remain
psychically separate.
From mid-2011 the Food Processing School in Maniitsoq will be moved to the Hotel- and Restaurants
School in Narsaq. The other line of education supplied by the school in Maniitsoq - the ATX line- is
being closed down, it was a one year preparation course for high school. The buildings will be used to
accommodate a new continuation school from August 2011.
VET schools constitute by far the biggest share of the education sector in Greenland. 1.477 students
attended education in 2010 and 321 graduated, a large number of them within Building and
Construction and Iron and Metal. The significant feature that VET has the largest share of the
Greenlandic education sector is also making it dependent and sensitive to general economic
conditions and business cycles.
20
The Commercial School in Qaqortoq offers more specialised lines such as education in working in the tourism
business along with the more traditional high school lines aiming at working in the commerce sector. 21
Formerly School of Mining.
30
Figure 7: Attendants and graduates from VET-schools
Source: Statistics Greenland
The number of students at VET-schools has gradually increased over the period 2005-2008. However,
in 2009 a drop was observed, probably due to the fact that the financial crisis began having an impact
of the number of apprenticeship places. An apprenticeship place is a precondition for enrolment into a
VET education. Through 2010 it was feared that the financial crisis would have a continuous negative
impact on the activity of the VET schools. However, it seems that the VET schools have made it
through 2010 returning to the level of 2009.
School apprenticeships are right now used extensively to accommodate the need for apprenticeships
places in the private sector.
2.9 HIGH SCHOOLS
High school education is offered at five schools. Three of them are of a general nature located in
Nuuk, Aasiaat and Qaqortoq. HHX in Qaqortoq is specialised in commercial studies, while HTX in
Sisimiut specialises in technical studies. In 2010 two tracks of ordinary high school education were
established in Sisimiut to ease the pressure of applicants that appeared at other high schools, it is
connected to the HTX in Sisimiut. The two tracks accommodate 44 students. In 2010 a total of 1.444
students attended high schools (in Greenland and in Denmark) while 278 completed.
The number of students attending the various high schools (September 2010) are shown in table 5.
Table 5: Number of students in high schools (September 2010)
Place Number
High school-Nuuk 368
Of these ”pilot”1 22
High school-Aasiaat 349
Of these ”Pilot” 1 22
High school-Qaqortoq 151
New tracks-Sisimiut 44
HTX 172
HHX 102
ATX-single subjects 58
TNI etc 84
Abroad (receiving Greenlandic Study Grants) 118
Total 1.444
Source: MoCERC
Note 1: “Pilot” is the term for a 1-year high school study aimed at older students.
31
The high schools are not in the same way as VET schools dependent on business cycle conditions.
However, lack of school buildings and dormitory capacity provides problems for this education type.
The high school located in Aasiaat attracts pupils from a wide area, making it necessary to ensure the
supply of required dormitory capacity. Currently, the demand is not met.
Figure 8: Attendants and graduates at high schools
Source: Statistics Greenland
2.10 HIGHER EDUCATION
The Greenlandic higher education system works, within the three cycles defined in the Bologna
process:
• Bachelor degrees (including professional bachelors – for example nurses and diploma
engineers).
• Within this first cycle, Greenland has also Academy programmes (the so-called short cycle
programmes).
• Master degrees (the second cycle).
• PhD’s and similar (the third cycle) is an opportunity to study at doctoral level at a
Greenlandic institute or a Danish institute or somewhere else.
In 2009 189 students completed a higher education. This number has increased steadily since 2005,
cf. Figure 9 below.
Institutions providing higher education are concentrated in Nuuk at Ilimmarfik (campus area). The
campus opened in 2008 and almost all higher education is located here.
In order to give as many opportunities to the Greenlanders as possible, close cooperation with other
universities has been established and Greenlanders have free access to matriculate to universities in
Denmark.
Furthermore Greenlandic legislation secure that students with sufficient aptitude can be granted funds
for attending fee based education abroad.
In 2010 there were 1.031 attendants at higher educations and 124 completed. In table 6 the numbers
of students at higher education is distributed among the various types of educations.
32
Table 6: Number of students at higher education (September 2010)
Education Number
Elementary school teachers 216
Commercial schools (NI2 etc) 69
Social pedagog 63
Culture and society (University) 55
Administration (University) 46
Nurse 45
Language, literature and media (University) 42
Social advisor 32
Engineer diploma (arctic) 23
Journalist 20
Theology (University) 9
Abroad 453
Total 1,073
Source: MoCERC
Figure 9 Attendants and graduates from Higher Education
Source: Statistics Greenland
2.11 TRAINING COURSES OFFERED BY PIAREERSARFIIT AND VET
Besides the degrees and qualifications from the formal education system, mainly the VET schools and
the Piareersarfiit provide a number of training courses:
• For skilled or unskilled employed workers (AMA) and
• For unskilled workers and employed and unemployed adults (PKU)
The courses are primarily provided with the strategic aim of training for work – that is to qualify the
apprentices within specific strategic area like social work, health, trade and industry and the new
strategic areas mining and tourism.
33
Piareersarfiit
Piareersarfiit currently form the link between elementary school, and further education and the labour
market, providing counselling and education for both youngsters and the older age groups of the
population.
Recognised Vocational Education (AEU) is established at Piareersarfiit and the overall aim is to
enable young people to be admitted to a recognised education and acquire the competences needed
to graduate. AEU courses are concentrated on qualifying the pupils in 4 main topics; Greenlandic,
Danish, English and mathematics.
In 2009 two batches of a total of 1,665 tests were performed and 75% passed the first batch and 79%
passed the second. From the gathered material it has been established that the average age of the
students was 23 years. An examination of the ratio of males and females showed that 189 students
were male and 374 were female22
.
In general the Piareersarfiit provides advice in terms of not only possibilities for upgrading personal
competences but also in establishing apprenticeships and to a certain extent, job possibilities in
general.
Also, upgrading on various non-literary competencies is provided:
- Multi workshop / production schools
- Practice period
- Work training
The part of the population attracted to this public service are both young and adults, employers,
employees and the unemployed who can be counselled and qualified regarding their education, career
or work status.
Competence Development Courses (PKU)
”Project competence improvement for unskilled” (PKU) is a part of Government of Greenland’s
Education Programme. The PKU target group is unemployed or employed unskilled labour in declining
business or labour in need for upgrading in business where growth is expected. The courses are
typically implemented in 3-5 modules during a week. It is typically the employers, which enrol the
students (for unemployed the municipality).
The PKU funds are used to implement specific professional courses by the professional colleges in
Greenland i.e. construction, tourism, mining and day-care. The PKU courses are continuously
evaluated by the students and by contact with the employers after the student returns and adjusted if
needed.
Young people and adults can get assistance and support, including courses within fields like personal
development (PKU-courses)
The PKU courses are characterised by being of 1-week duration. The GoG covers all expenses,
including salary to the participants. During 2008 and 2009 the activities included 2,000 participants
taking part in 3,253 course weeks. The courses were performed in 14 cities. In the previous years the
expenditure to this activity was € 2.1m in 2008 and € 2.5m in 2009. Budget allocations in 2010 and
2011 are € 2.3 m.
22
A student can attend 1, 2, 3 or 4 topics and therefore the number of tests exceeds the number of students
34
Table 7 demonstrates the number of participants and number of participants’ weeks. By international
standards the volume is measured by participant’s weeks, as the length of courses varies but is
typically less than a week.
Table 7: The number of participants and number of participant weeks 2010
Sector Number of
Participants
Number of
Modules
Number of
course weeks
Raw material 93 7 61
Building and
Construction 50 5 5
Language 44 5 10
Food technology 54 6 25
Social area 182 14 14
Retail 74 7 10
Fish industry 75 7 6
Health 24 2 22
Tourism 45 4 4
Total 641 57 157
Source: Piareersarfiit
35
3 STATUS OF THE GEP; LESSONS LEARNED AND MAIN CHALLENGES IN 2011.
3.1 STATUS OF GEP IN GENERAL
The Greenland Education Programme is generally proceeding according to targets set. The growth in
many of indicators continued in 2010 although at a lower rate. The decrease in growth rate can be
attributed to a number of factors.
The decreasing number of apprenticeship places in Greenland is currently problematic for the
successful graduation of students from many commercial educations. Requests have recently been
sent from MoCERC to the vocational training schools motivating school staff to consider how the
number of apprenticeships can be increased. It is suggested that decisions regarding length of trainee
periods could be shortened or for example be supplemented by school traineeships for everybody in
education. The various branches agree that school training alone is not sufficient and should be
supplemented by practical periods. Six VET schools in Greenland have established a new
organizational model with school boards consisting of representations of local business branches
appointed by the school managers and approved by MoCERC. Also a new model for financing the
branch schools has been implemented, based on a so called taxameter system according to specific
needs at local schools. A special focus area is to establish school traineeships and to find more
educational possibilities for the single language apprentices. In general it is considered how more
educations could be supplied in Greenlandic language. Currently an evaluation of the existing system
is taken place for the planning of the whole commercial educational sector in order to meet demands.
For the high schools the primary limiting factor is the physical capacity of the high schools both
regarding capacity for education and on dormitories. New student dormitories are expected to be
finished in 2011. A new apprenticeship dormitory in Nuuk with 45 rooms and an inspector house was
opened in January 2011. Also 66 apartments in Nuuk will be bought and prepared for students. In
Ilulissat, 50 new places for SPS (school for Social Worker Education) pupils will be finished. In Sisimiut
a new building with 18 rooms for students in building and construction and for high school student will
be finished. In 2012, new dormitories are also expected in Aasiaat (50 rooms) and Qaqortoq (50
rooms) plus investment in an additional 18 existing apartments in Qaqortoq for commercial students.
The last factor is the language which seems more and more important. After 1 year after leaving
elementary school around 42 % of a year group is enrolled in education. Recent studies carried out by
MoCERC show that these students can be characterized at either being very “strong” or “very good”
with regards to their marks achieved at exams, especially within the languages Danish, Greenlandic
and English. There is an increased focus on languages within the education system, both in regards to
how much the students learn at a given education/institution, but also on what level of and/or what
language is needed to attend a particular education.
36
3.2 CHALLENGES WITHIN THE GOG
In the fall of 2010 it became clear that the deficit of the GoG budget was larger than anticipated and an
immediate tightening of the fiscal policy was needed. One of the actions taken was an immediate stop
for employing persons which was put in effect by 26 October 2010.
As per 1 January 2011 MoCERC and ACERC were merged together into one single unit. The staff
members are at the same time placed within the same physical unit. The GEP team that in 2009
consisted of three persons is at the same time reduced to two persons. However, it is expected to
involve more staff members of the new unit in preparing the reports to the EC, thereby making use of
all the specialized knowledge within certain areas of the education sector.
In 2010 the drafting of AWP and AIR was again finalized very late. This unsatisfactory situation was
highlighted and discussed at the workshop in Brussels in November 2010. The situation was due to
many unforeseen factors, such as late delivery of data from Statistics Greenland. For the reports to be
prepared in 2011 a timeline was established and terms of reference regarding the four reports were
developed, aiming at finalizing earlier on. It remains yet to be seen if the drafting will be more
satisfactory in 2011 but it is highly prioritised by GoG to make an effort to ensure that the reports are
finalized latest by the end of May a given year. Additionally, appropriate timing of the expert missions
to better match the required data processing cycle23
should be taken into account thereby providing
basis for evaluation and analysis of related observed trends in order to identify causalities and
appropriate correcting measures. Efforts should therefore be taken to address the issue of improved
timing in the report development process to ensure more efficient use of the resources available.
3.3 THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
In November 2010 a mid term evaluation of the reform of the elementary school (“The Good School”)
was carried out. The reform was put in force in 2003 and the first pupils who leave the elementary
school having being taught all 10 years along the lines of the reforms principles will leave school in
2013. The evaluation was foreseen already in 2003 to see if changes of the reform are needed.
The evaluation was organized by Institute for Learning Processes. Contributions were called for by
various experts within learning, statistics etc24
.
An important finding of the evaluation was the principles of the reform have not yet been fully
implemented in all schools. The reform has mostly been implemented in the bigger schools in the
cities while smaller schools, especially settlement schools, have not implemented all of the reforms
principles. In 2011 and onwards attention will be directed towards having the principles of the reform
implemented to a larger extent. An element of this process is to strengthen the cooperation between
the larger schools in the cities and their related settlement schools.
Statistical analysis points to the fact that the implementation of the principles of the reform is positively
correlated with the test results attained at 3rd
, 7th and 10
th grade for most subjects.
It was demonstrated that the test results at 3rd
, 7th and 10
th grade have a great predictive value for the
pupil’s success and attainments at later stages. However, the evaluation also pointed to the fact that
many, even bigger schools, do not use the test results as a tool for strengthening the education for the
23
Final processed data required for analysis and draft reporting of the AWP 2010 and AIR 2009 was available
only in second part of May 2010. One reason for the delay of the reports was that data from Statistics Greenland
to be used as indicator were delayed. In 2009 MoCERC signed a one-year contract with Statistics Greenland
stipulating the timelines of delivery. If the contract seems to be a success it will be renewed for a longer time
period. 24
The material that was presented at the conference can be found on www.Inerisaavik.gl (only in
Greenlandic and Danish)
37
pupils. Also in 2011 and onwards focus be will on making sure that test results are used more
extensively.
3.4 THE CONTINUATION SCHOOLS
The continuation school system is getting integrated in the Greenlandic school system, from
September 2011 with two permanent continuation schools. The model has been imported from the
Danish school system where continuation schools have been a part of the educational framework for
more than 150 years. The continuation school is characterized as a school where pupils eat, live and
go to school together 24 hours a day. It is usual that 2-4 pupils live in the same room at the schools
and responsibilities like cleaning and kitchen assistance are part of the common daily life at the
schools. The philosophy behind the students living at the school is that the pupils get to know each
other and the teachers better, when the time spent at school is not only limited to school hours.
Continuation schools are not admitting pupils from the town they are situated in since the whole idea
of the formation process is that the young people should leave their home environment and see
themselves as moved out of home. The self-confidence obtained in the schools aims at achieving a
calm and stable environment for development and deeper knowledge of the pupils.
Learning at the continuation schools is divided into mandatory courses and optional courses.
Mandatory courses are Greenlandic, Danish, English and mathematics where the aim is in the end of
the school year to pass the elementary school diploma in these subjects. All subjects are taught 6-8
school hours a week. The optional courses are creative subjects like media-IT, outdoor life, music, and
sports. Pupils select one optional course and follow that throughout the school year, typically 9-10
hours a week. In addition, an after- school scheme consists of a list of subjects, thematic weeks,
commercial counselling and trainee visits.
Presently, the decision is to have two continuation schools in Greenland, in total with 140 pupils
enrolled. Villads Villadsens continuation school in Qasigiannguit admits 80 pupils and the new
continuation school in Maniitsoq will admit 60 pupils from September 2011. In addition 280
Greenlandic pupils start every year on a continuation school in Denmark. Pupils are between 14 and
18 years of age and have in principle finished elementary school and obtained their diploma. The
continuation school should be seen as an extra school year where the pupils have the possibility of
improving their examination results before applying for high schools, VET schools etc.
A quantitative study of the effect of the continuation schools would be highly desirable. It is important
to know whether attendance in the continuation school makes a difference on language abilities and
other competencies required for further education. It should be analysed where the pupils proceed
after the continuation schools and if the continuation school increases the probability that they enrol
and complete formal education.
Total expenditures for stays at continuation schools was 1.3 mil Euro in 2008 (not including running
expenditures of the schools) and is budgeted to 1.8 mil Euro in 2010/11.
Table 8 shows cohorts of Greenlandic pupils from continuation school 2007-09 in Denmark in relation
to their educational status by medio-September 2010. It is apparent that a great part of the pupils from
continuation schools proceeded to high schools and to a lesser degree in VET schools. It should be
noted, however, that it is a requirement that in order to be admitted to a Danish continuation school
the pupil should be able to speak and understand Danish at a high level and that the pupil has contact
with a Danish family. It is most common to see admitted pupils to Danish continuation schools who
come from resource strong families.
38
Table 8: Educational status by mid-September 2010 for pupils from Danish continuation schools
Cohort High Schools VET schools Other Total
2007/2008 70 53 126 249
2008/2009 184 51 211 446
2009/2010 110 12 156 278
Source: Education Centre of Sisimiut and the Educational Financial Support Register
In connection to the double cohort from the elementary schools an establishment of four temporary
continuation schools took place in 2008. These schools admitted in total 274 pupils. By September
2010 the status of these pupils was:
• 75 pupils, or 27 % of the total number of pupils were in an education programme
o 39 of the above pupils were in high schools
o 36 of the above pupils were in VET schools
This relative low share of pupils from 2008 being study active by 2010 could be caused by a high pro-
portion of pupils coming from remote districts and settlements. Also, startup problems for the new
continuation schools could have played a role.
Two of the four continuation schools continued in operation in 2009. These were based in
Kangerlussuaq and Qasigiannguit (Villads Villadsen). The educational status of these pupils by
September 2010 is shown in table 6 below.
Table 9: Educational status mid-September 2010 for pupils from Greenlandic continuation
schools
2009/2010 High schools VET schools Other Total
Kangerlussuaq 7 7 66 80
Qasigiannguit 21 11 45 77
Source: Education Centre of Sisimiut and the Educational Financial Support Register
These two continuation schools had very different outcomes measured by the pupils’ educational
status in 2010. The continuation school in Qasigiannguit had 32 (=21+11) pupils who proceeded in
the education system right after their studies at the continuation school. This share (43%) equals to
the Danish continuation schools outcome25
.
From Kangerlussuaq continuation school only 14 pupils proceeded to an education. That is 18 % of
the total number of pupils at the school. The missing success of this school could probably be
explained by Kangerlussuaq as not being a suitable place to perform education. Also, the school had
organizational problem from the on-set. It has been decided not to continue running the school in
2010/2011.
In conclusion, a stay at a continuation school in Denmark seems not to increase the probability for
pupils to proceed on an education. On the other hand studies at a continuation school could decrease
the risk of dropping out at a later stage on an education. It has not yet been possible to test this
hypothesis. The continuation schools in Greenland are aimed primarily at pupils from outer districts
and settlements. An important purpose is to secure that more of these pupils will proceed in an
education and thereby not become marginalized. The cost per pupil is higher for studies at
25
Villads Villadsen continuation school informs that of a total of 69 pupils who graduated from the
school 64 applied for a study (including Piareersarfik). Of these 45 pupils were admitted - 6 of these to
Piareersarfik. In conclusion 55-65 % (excluding or including Piareersarfik) of the pupils has proceeded
to education.
39
Greenlandic continuation schools than studies in Denmark; however a continuation school like Villads
Villadsen seems to be a good investment.
3.5 OIL AND MINERAL SECTOR
There is a great expectation of upcoming industries within the oil and mineral sector. However, the
timing of when industries are set up and are demanding specific types of labor is not known with
certainty. This gives to rise to specific challenges to the education sector. The challenge is to educate
the various types of the labor in demand and at the right time.
The development of a total education programme for all short term courses regarding research and
production of oil products has been initiated at a conference held in December 2010 at the newly
established Greenland School of Minerals and Petroleum in Sisimiut. Before the conference, an
external consultant did a survey of the possible types of jobs and thus required competencies that
could be expected in relation of the whole oil and mineral sector development. This process has been
initiated in order to ensure that the relevant know-how and expertise in this new area will be anchored
in the Greenlandic schools. The conference participants represented public and private sectors: the
VET schools, NunaOil, Cairn, Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum (under the Ministry of Industry and
Labour Market), Cairn, AMU-Vest (education center West) and MoCERC.
The conference resulted in concrete plans for making education possible in all involved branches; that
is oil/gas, languages, building and construction, iron and metal, shipping, food production and
commercial. The first courses will start in the first quarter of 2011.
Already at this stage there is a demand for competencies in jobs relating to the present phase of
search for oil and gas made by the Scottish company Cairn. Especially functions in the harbor
terminals, in catering, and in the maritime area concerning staffing of support ships. Also,
competencies in counseling of future job seekers in the area of oil and gas business will be needed.
An Impact Benefit Agreement (IBA) has been made between Cairn and GoG that will compensate
royalties to the education of local work force. In 2010 this amounted to EUR 0.8 mio and was primarily
used for English courses for Greenlanders. The amount is expected to be larger this year.
It is concluded that the initiatives should in the first place not be directed at off-shore employment.
Since the research phase is taking place right now it is unlikely that off-shore employment will take
place before 5-10 years at the earliest when the production phase will start depending on successful
searches. The plan is then to further involve the municipalities in the process.
The preparatory work regarding the establishment of an aluminum melting plant with its appurtenant
hydroelectric plants will continue in 2011 in cooperation with the private company Alcoa Inc. The origi-
nal time schedule has been postponed by approximately 2 years, amongst other things due to the
financial crisis and the delay of certain investigation activities, including technical and environmental
investigations. Additional to this there have been specific archaeological investigations which have
found ancient places worth preserving which might influence the final decision. All preparatory investi-
gations have been concluded and the project is judged to be technically and environmentally feasible.
Public opinion has been surveyed through the preparation phase period via use of opinion polls and
the most recent survey indicates 54% support to the project, though this figure also reveals a declining
tendency in public support to project compared to previous opinion polls.
The issues related to starting up production of aluminum near Maniitsoq will be put on the agenda by
GoG at the Parliament Autumn Assembly 2011 and in the Spring Assembly 2012. It is foreseen that
concrete models of ownership and other collaboration issues between GoG and Alcoa will be dis-
cussed.
According to the current revised time schedule, the project’s construction phase is expected to start in
2013, and the project is expected to start actual production from 2018. When operative, this project will
40
result in 766 permanent jobs at the melting plant and in the hydroelectric plants. To this should be
added the expected derived permanent employment of 350-450 persons. The derived employment
includes both servicing of the melting plant and increased public and private services in Maniitsoq, the
town nearest to the expected plant area. Also apprenticeships are expected to be created during the
construction of the melting plant and this aspect is to be included in the final agreement, including the
expected number of apprenticeships to be created. All in all, total jobs will summarize to app. 1,200
jobs.
41
4 BUDGETS, ACTIVITIES AND TARGETS FOR 2011
4.1 TOTAL BUDGET OF GOG AND THE BUDGET OF GEP
An overview of the budget for GoG for 2011 is given in table 10. The total overall Government budget
is € 864.1m, while the total education budget is € 167.1m. The education budget thus accounts for
19.3 % of the total budget. Under the heading ‘Base’ is listed expenditures for the regular functioning
of the educational system. Under the heading “GEP” are listed expenditures for the extraordinary
educational activities aimed at raising the educational level through initiatives under the GEP. The
expenditures listed under these two headings add up to the expenditures listed under the heading
“Total”.
Table 10: Total budget and total education budget for GoG 2011 (€ m)
Total budget 864.1
Of which education budget Base GEP Total
1. Elementary Education 17.3 2.2 19.5
2. High School Education 23.2 4.6 27.8
3. Vocational Education and Training 35.5 28.0 63.5
4. Higher Education 33.1 0.8 33.9
5. Building Institutions 1.3 3.9 5.2
6. Building Dormitories 6.8 10.3 17.1
7. Reserve (GEP fund) 0.0 0.0 0.0
Total Education Budget 117.3 49.8 167.1
Education in % of the total budget 19.3%
Source: Finance Act 2011
Table 10 compares the expenditures under GEP with the base expenditures in 7 categories, not to be
mixed up with the allocation of GEP-expenditures to the 7 focal areas that are presented in table 11.
Using the classification in Table 10 it is seen that within “Vocational Education and Training” and
“Building of Dormitories” the extraordinary activities financed through GEP are substantial compared
with the base expenditures in 2011. This item also includes rent and maintenance of buildings, which
explains the expenditure figure under “Base”.
It should be mentioned that the central governments’ total education budget, including expenditures by
the municipalities, is € 213m in 2010 (Statistics Greenland; 2010.2). The difference between the
numbers is mainly explained by expenditures on elementary school that are the responsibility of the
municipalities, financed through a block grant from the GoG. This expenditure item is not included in
Table 10. Expenditures for GoG under elementary education are for the most part research into
education, development of teaching material and educational training for teachers. Also expenditures
for continuation schools are listed under Elementary Education.
In Annex 1 the numbers in Table 10 are presented for the period 2006-2014.
42
The GEP budget for 2011 and its allocation to the 7 focal areas are presented in Table 11.
Table 11: The GEP budget for the focal areas 2011 (€ m)
Focal Area Title of the focal area € m %
Focal area 1 Preparatory courses and programmes
Youth educational and training programmes 7.2 14.5
Focal area 2
Competence (skills training), courses, the
Piareersarfiit and unskilled labour in the work
force
6.9 13.8
Focal area 3 Higher education and strategic sectors 8.8 17.6
Focal area 4 Cross-cutting initiatives (study grants) 8.6 17.3
Focal area 5 Dropout rates and completion 0.9 1.7
Focal area 6 Buildings and housing 15.0 30.2
Focal area 7 Structural monitoring,
Development potential and perspectives 2.4 4.9
Reserve
(GEP fund,
not allocated)
0.0 0.0
Total 49.8 100.0
Source: Finance Act 2011.
The largest part, € 15.0m, or 30.2 % of the GEP budget, is allocated to focal area 6, Building and
Housing. Focal areas 2, 3 and 4 each receives around 15 % from the GEP budget. Finally focal areas
5 and 7 receive 1.7 % and 4.9 % respectively. It can be observed that focal area 5 concerning dropout
rate and completion receives the smallest part of the GEP budget despite of the importance of this
area. The activities financed under focal area 5 are directly aimed at lowering dropout rate, such as
psychological assistance. Under the other focal areas, and in particular focal area 6, financed activities
are indirectly expected to have a positive effect on dropout rates, for instance better facilities for doing
homework.
The GEP budget for the period 2011-2014 is presented in Annex 2, which also provides a detailed
specification of allocation of expenditures to the different activities under each focal area. The GEP
budget is slightly decreasing from € 49.8m in 2011 to € 47.1.2m in 2014. The decrease is for a large
part explained by the fact that expenditures under GEP had been advanced for 2008-2010 to speed
up the process of building dormitories.
4.2 BUDGETS, ACTIVITIES AND TARGETS WITHIN THE FOCAL AREAS
In this paragraph the focal areas are presented and described one by one. For each focal area a brief
status is given, ongoing activities in 2011 are listed, and planned (new) activities for 2011 are
described. Finally data describing the indicators relating to each focal area is presented together with
targets for 2011 set by MoCERC.
It should be kept in mind that no formal procedures for establishing the targets for 2009 and 2010
were applied. Instead the targets were established in a more informal way using relevant statistical
information at hand and discussing the proposed targets with experts from the educational institutions
in Greenland. Using informal estimation procedures can be a sound method to obtain valid
estimations. However, such a procedure makes it difficult to understand and describe why targets and
results differ. For 2010 the situation was complicated by the fact that the financial crises were in
progress but the effects on the economy were uncertain.
For 2011 the situation seems to have normalized and a moderate growth of 1% in real GDP is
expected. However informal procedures for setting the targets are still being applied. GoG recognizes
43
the need for more formal and documented ways of establishing the targets for the GEP-framework.
The work with developing more formalized systems of setting targets (along with developing better and
more comprehensive statistics) are given priority in 2011.
Finally, it should be mentioned that the calculation of the variable tranche for 2011 includes new
indicators and changes to the relative weights compared to 2010 . The calculation method measures
the target achievement in relation to baseline and multiplies it with the indicator weight. Within the
indicator framework 2007-2013 the emphasis moves gradually from input and output indicators to
outcome indicators. The indicators that enter the calculation of the variable tranche in 2011 are shown
in table 12:
The growth rate for the targets set for the various indicators are established under the assumption that
the capacity of dormitories and education facilities are beginning to be a limiting factor.
Table 12: Indicators in the calculation of the variable tranche 2011
Title Type Weight (%)
1. Public Expenditure on education Input 10
4a Attendance (VET and high school) Output 5
4b Students attending skills and competence courses Output 5
4c Number of student attending higher education Outcome 10
5 Apprenticeships Output 10
8 Education level of the workforce Outcome 15
9 Completion Outcome 15
11a Dropout rates (formal education) Outcome 15
12a Job insertion from formal education Outcome 10
12b Enrolment into education after Piareersarfiit Outcome 5
Total 100
4.2.1 Focal area 1: Preparatory courses and programmes youth educational and
training programmes
Status
The overall objective of the initiatives under focal area 1 is to support, motivate and make room for
more young people to enrol into education at high schools or at VET schools. This focal area is
primarily focusing on elementary school leavers. At present about 42 % of a year group attends high
school or educational and vocational training directly (i.e. 1-2 years) after leaving elementary school.
This number has to be raised significantly in the coming years if the overall goal of GEP has to be
reached before the end of 2020.
There is a long tradition for young people attending continuations schools just after leaving elementary
school. At present approximately 40% of young people goes from elementary school to a continuation
school, many in Denmark. Pupils attending continuation schools seem to have a higher probability of
entering into education. Newly established continuation schools in Greenland have attracted
youngsters from smaller cities and settlements and have in part succeeded in bringing a relatively high
part of the pupils into education. Initiatives for supporting continuation schools in Greenland are
financed under focal area 1.
44
On-going activities
Focal area 1 receives € 7.2m, or 14.5%, of the GEP budget in 2011. The allocation of the total amount
to different activities is shown in figure 10.
Figure 10: Focal area 1 budget (€ 7.2m) divided into main categories
Added tracks on
high schools
€3.2m
(44%)
More
apprenticeships
€2.1 m
(29%)
Continuation
school
€0.9 m
(12%)
Other projects
€0.6 m
(8%)Reform of high
school
€0.5 m
(7%)
Source: Finance Act 2011.
A major part of the activities under this focal area is a continuation of on-going activities established in
the previous years.
The largest part of the expenditures is allocated for continuing the added tracks on high schools. The
added tracks were established in the period 2006-2008 as it was foreseen that more students would
apply for high school education. These added tracks will continue in 2011.
In 2010 it was decided to establish two new (added) high school tracks at the Building and
Construction school in Sisimiut. This decision was taken in light of a massive number of applicants at
the high school in Aasiaat that were not able to absorb that many students. Many of the students on
these new tracks are located in Sisimiut, so in that respect the solution to establish these new tracks
made good sense in many ways. These tracks are expected to continue in 2011.
Activities directed at getting more apprenticeship and school-training places continue and receive 29
% of the budget. This is more than previous years’ allocation and reflects the need for school
apprenticeships to accommodate for the expected slowdown of growth of apprenticeship places in the
private sector.
45
Planned new activities in 2011
A continuation school is expected to be in operation from September 2011 meaning that two
continuation schools will be in operation. The location of this new school will be in Maniitsoq that up till
then will house the Food Processing School. The new continuation school will have a capacity of 60
students and it is expected that around 15% of them are to students with special problems in reading
and spelling.
The High School reform is planned to be put in force by August 2012. MoER is intensifying the work
with the reform initiatives in 2011. The next year will be used to work with the curriculum regarding
various subjects and preparing the final implementation of the reform.
The law regarding the reform is to be circulated in GoG in spring 2011 and will be put forward for
endorsement at the autumn assembly in 2011.
Targets
The results under focal area 1 are evaluated on the basis of the following indicators:
• Applicants, VET and high school (indicator 3.1 and 3.2)
• Attendance, VET and high school (indicator 4.a)
• Apprenticeships (indicator 5)
Applicants (indicator 3.1 and 3.2).
Table 13: Applicants for VET (indicator 3.1)
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Differen-
ce target
2011 %
of result
2010
Average
Annual
growth
rate
2006-
2010
Total 1223 1189 1396 1579 1200 1250 4.2 1.0
Indexed
2006=
100
100 97 114 129 98 102 4.2 1.0
Source: MoCERC Note: This is an output indicator.
Table 14: Applicants for High School Education (indicator 3.2)
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Difference
target
2011 in %
of result
2010
Total - - 757 796 864 900 4.2
Indexed
2008=100 - - 100 105 114 119 4.2
Source: MoCERC.
Note 1): This is an output indicator.
Note 2): The numbers presented in the table differs from what was presented in AIR 2008. A new data reporting
system was set up, resulting in more valid data.
The number of applicants for VET-schools and high schools are expected to rise in 2011 with over 4
%. This rise reflects an expected higher proportion of students entering education directly from
46
elementary school or 1 year after elementary school. Some pupils from the double year group are still
entering education as well as proportions from older year groups.
Students attending VET and high school education (indicator 4a.1-4a.3).
Table 15: Number of students by type of education (indicator 4a.1)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Differen
ce
target
2011 in
% of
result
2010
Annual
average
growth
rate
2005-
2011
Total 1.925 2.077 2.178 2.410 2.484 2.649 2.710 2.3 7.1
VET 1.098 1.246 1.313 1.439 1.386 1.477 1.500 1.6 6.4
High
School 827 831 865 971 1.098 1.172 1.210 3.2 7.9
Source: Statistics Greenland.
Note: This is an output indicator. It enters the calculation of the variable tranche with a weight of 5% in 2011.
Table 16: Number of students by type of education, relative to the relevant population
(indicator 4a.2)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Total 0.43 0.47 0.49 0.54 0.56 0.56 0.56
VET 0.25 0.28 0.29 0.32 0.31 0.31 0.31
High
School 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.22 0.25 0.25 0.25
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an output indicator. Note: By relevant population is meant the number of persons in the age 16-19 in a given year.
Table 17: Students by type of education, indexed (2005 =100) (indicator 4a.3)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Total 100 108 113 125 129 138 141
VET 100 113 120 131 126 135 137
High
School 100 100 105 117 133 142 146
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an output indicator.
The number of attendances is expected to grow in 2011 but at a lower rate than for the previous years.
The stagnation is especially significant within VET-schools, where the effect of the economic recession
is still showing effects. At the other hand, there is expectations of still more students going into high
school education giving rise to a growth rate of 3.2 %.
47
Apprenticeships (indicator 5).
Table 18: Number of apprenticeships at VET (indicator 5.1)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Differen
ce
target
2011 in
%
of result
2010
Average
annual
growth
rate
2005-
2011
Total 1.098 1.100 1.098 1.316 1.376 1377 1380 0.2 3.9
Index
2005
=100
100 100 100 120 125
125 126 0.2 3.9
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an output indicator. It enters the calculation of the variable tranche with a weight of 10% in 2011.
The target for 2011 is set to 1380 apprenticeship places which is almost the same number as for 2010.
The reason for this very moderate growth is the slowdown of the general economic activity, especially
within building and construction that is expected to continue in 2011.This does not include school
apprenticeships, which is the reason for the low number. However work is going on regarding
increasing the number of school apprenticeships in order to make up for the stagnation within the
trades. Also, MoER is working on a more established agreement on sending students to Denmark,
mainly Aalborg, for education, because they currently have the capacity we are lacking here in
Greenland within institutions and dormitories.
4.2.2 Focal area 2: Competence (skills training) courses, the Piareersarfiit and
unskilled labour in the work force
Status
Only about one-third of the potential workforce in the country has undertaken a programme of formal
training or education. In connection with the overall effort to encourage more people to begin
undertaking formal education, a 'competence development' project (skills training including language
courses) has been instituted to improve the formal qualifications of unskilled workers as well as their
general ability to achieve a job with a regular income as basis for a stable and controllable way of life.
In light of the industries that are expected to appear in the coming years it is also of outmost
importance that both skilled and unskilled workers have the competences to meet the future demand
for labour. Especially, within the mineral and raw material sector growth is expected in the coming
years. For safety reasons the language used on a daily basis in those industries is English, and
therefore language skill courses will be of outmost importance.
On-going activities
Focal area 2 receives € 6.9m, or 13.8%, of the GEP budget in 2011. The allocation of the total amount
to different activities is shown in figure 11.
48
Figure 11: Focal area 2 budget (€ 6.9m) divided into main categories
Special fund for
language
training
€ 0.1m (1%)
Increse in the
Piareersafiit
quota
€ 2.3m
(33%)
Mining and
construction
skills training
€ 1.3m
(19%)
National
competency
courses
€ 3.2m
(47%)
Source: Finance Act 2011.
Almost half of the budget (47%) is allocated to develop competence courses. Support to Piareersarfiit
accounts for around 1/3 of the budget for this focal area. The mining and construction school takes up
19% of the budget. The mining is backed by special courses in language training for English with
reference to mining that takes up 1% of the budget.
Planned new activities in 2011
The Piareersarfiit-centres are more or less in operation in the same way as the years before. In 2011 it
is planned to establish temporary centres in the settlements. The goal is to establish two centres in
settlements with an expected duration of 1 year, seen as a pilot project. Another goal is to strengthen
the dialogue between the centres and the responsible persons in the local governments. A meeting
will be held in the spring of 2011 where relevant persons from the Piareersarfiit-centres and local
authorities will gather.
In 2011 PKU (competence development) courses will focus especially on mining, offshore industry and
tourism, sectors expected to have an increasing demand for labour in Greenland in the next years.
PKU courses should also retrain fishermen and hunters to help them to get jobs in growth sectors.
Another PKU focus are fishing plant closures and cut downs. PKU funds are used to establish and
implement retraining courses in cooperation with the professional colleges for those dismissed.
The Greenland School of Minerals and Petroleum starts operating in 2011. The school is located in
Sisimiut alongside with School for Building and Construction. The new school is expected to supply
courses within the whole area of oil, gas, minerals and petroleum. To back up these courses the
Language School, also located in Sisimiut, supplies courses in English with a special focus on
language related to mining.
Targets
The results under focal area 2 will be evaluated on the basis of the following indicators, which were
developed in 2010 by GoG in cooperation with Statistics Greenland to ensure the best available
measurement of the focus of the indicator:
49
• Attendance at skills and competence courses (indicator 4.b)
• Dropout at skill- and competence courses (indicator 11.b)
• Enrolment into education after Piareersarfiit (indicator 12.b)
Table 19: Attendance at skills and competence courses (indicator 4.b)
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Fishing 262 75 82
Mining 59 93 102
Electricity and water
supply 0 0 0
Construction 26 50 55
Wholesale and retail
trade 63 74 81
Hotels and restaurants 40 45 49
Transport 0 0 0
Finance and insurance 0 0 0
Sale of real estate 0 0 0
Public administrations 425 340 332
Other 0 0 0
Total 875 641 700
Source: MoCERC. This is an outcome indicator. It enters the calculation of the variable tranche with a weight of 5% in 2011.
Table 20: Dropout at skills and competence courses (indicator 11.b)
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Fishing 22 8 8
Mining 3 4 4
Electricity and water
supply 0 0 0
Construction 5 8 8
Wholesale and retail
trade 11 20 21
Hotels and restaurants 6 4 4
Transport 0 0 0
Finance and insurance 0 0 0
Sale of real estate 0 0 0
Public administrations 28 37 39
Other 0 0 0
Total 75 81 85
Source: MoCERC.
50
Table 21: Enrolment into education and job insertion after Piareersarfiit, persons (indicator
12.b)
Result
2010
Target
2011
VET 100 105
High School 43 45
Higher Education 29 30
Total 172 180
Memo: Job insertion 142 140
Source: Ministry of Industry and Labour market This is an outcome indicator. It enters the calculation of the variable tranche with a weight of 5% in 2011.
Table 22: Enrolment into education and job insertion after Piareersarfiit, relative to attendance
(indicator 12.b)
Result
2010
Target
2011
VET 0.14 0.15
High School 0.06 0.07
Higher Education 0.04 0.04
Total 0.24 0.26
Memo: Job insertion 0.2 0.2
Source: Ministry of Industry and Labour market
4.2.3 Focal area 3: Higher education and strategic sectors
Status
There is a shortage of university graduates on the labour market, and many of the jobs requiring
university level qualifications are held by manpower recruited from outside Greenland. The production
of graduates from all types of higher-education programmes must be increased considerably.
A number of sectors have been defined as strategic sectors in which growth and permanent
employment is anticipated. These sectors include building and construction, mining and raw materials,
tourism, social services, healthcare, and commerce and administration.
Focal area 3 receives € 8.8m, or 17.6%, of the GEP budget in 2011. The allocation of the total amount
to different activities is shown in figure 12.
51
Figure 12: Focal area 3 budget (€ 8.8m) divided into main categories
Arctic
enginering
€ 0.3m
(3%)
Design
education
€ 0,3m
(4%)
Other
€ 4.6m
(51%)
Social
workes and
hospital
personel
€ 3.1m
(34%)
School of
hunting and
fishery
€ 0.7m
(8%)
Source: Finance Act 2011.
A large part of the budget, 30%, is allocated for upgrading qualifications within the Health and Social
sector. These sectors have an urgent need for qualified labour. The present solution of employing
unskilled Greenlandic labour or skilled labour from Denmark, the latter being very expensive, does not
meet the demand for skilled labour within these sectors.
The funding under focal area 3 supports beside that a great variety of supply of courses organized at
the VET schools aimed at various other strategic sectors such as tourism. A detailed list of the
activities can be seen in annex 2.
Planned new initiatives in 2011
Many of the activities under this focal area are ongoing. In 2011 two new initiatives are expected:
A design school, located in Sisimiut was opened in 2010 with two tracks; the making of the national
garment and treatment of skins and furs (from e.g. seals and caribou). This will fill the need for
supplying courses based at non-literal qualifications. The school will have a capacity of approximately
15 students. It is a two year education within the area of vocational and educational training with
theory and practice combined, the latter in the form of school apprenticeships. After 2 years the
students will be qualified as seamstresses of the national garment or skilled in the treatment of skins
and furs. In 2012 the planning for a further expansion of the school to be a more diversified design
school will begin. In 2011 the courses will continue as before and will be evaluated continuously.
A new specialisation within health workers will be established. It will be directed towards education of
health workers to be employed in the settlements. It is a education in Nuuk with a capacity of 12
students. The education takes 22 weeks, with first 6 weeks of theory, then 5 weeks in an
apprenticeship and again 6 weeks of theory. The educations ends with 5 weeks in an apprenticeship.
A health worker works to provide health related services in the settlement, such as preventive work
and promote health.
52
Targets
The results under focal area 3 are evaluated on the basis of the following indicators:
• Applicants, higher education (indicator 3.3)
• Attendance in higher education (indicator 4.c.1 and 4c.2)
Applicants for higher education (indicator 3.3):
Table 23: Applicants for Higher Education (indicator 3.3)
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Difference
target
2011 in %
of result
2010
Total - - 450 477 592 630 6.4
Indexed
2008=100 - - 100 106 132 140 6.4
Source: MoCERC.
Note 1): The numbers presented in the table differs from what was presented in AIR 2008. A new data reporting
system was set up, resulting in more valid data.
Note 2): This is an output indicator.
Students attending higher education (indicator 4c): This indicator is expected to grow at 1.8 %, which
is also a slowdown of past years growth rate. Lack of dormitories and education buildings are the main
causes for this expected slowdown of growth.
Table24: Number of students in higher education, by type (indicator 4c.1)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Differen-
ce
target
2011 in
%
of result
2010
Annual
growth
rate
2005-
2010
Total 775 840 862 924 930 1031 1050 1.8 5.9
First
cycle 454 489 497 534 510 572 580 1.4 4.7
Second
cycle 321 351 365 390 420 459 470 2.4 7.4
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an outcome indicator. It enters the calculation of the variable tranche with a weight of 10% in 2011.
Table25: Students in higher education, by type (2005=100) (indicator 4c.2)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Total 100 108 111 119 120 133 135
First cycle 100 108 109 118 112 126 128
Second
cycle 100 109. 114 121 131 143 146
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an outcome indicator.
53
4.2.4 Focal area 4: Cross-cutting initiatives
Status
The study grant support system is widely anticipated as key in reaching objectives related to
improvements in education and formal qualifications in Greenland education sector. Study grants are
in particular important for those young students with a low-income social background as well as for
unskilled workers with limited opportunities to sustain their living conditions when attending an
education or training programme. In this way the uniform and all-inclusive study grant system found in
Greenland is instrumental for providing the basis for equitable access to education and training
programmes. As the GEP is implemented and ever more people go to education, financial aid
expenditure in the form of study grants will increase.
The study grant system is very similar to the Danish system. Students can receive an amount of
approximately €550 per month. Besides that, students are allowed to receive an interest free loan of to
a maximum of €800 per semester. Greenlandic students can choose between Greenlandic and Danish
rules when studying in Denmark. The Danish rules for study grants are slightly more generous than
the Greenlandic rules, but Greenlandic rules allow for one free travel per year to Greenland when
studying in Denmark.
Ongoing activities
Focal area 4 receives € 8.6m, or 17.3%, of the GEP budget in 2011. The allocation of the total amount
to different activities is shown in figure 13.
Figure 13: Focal area 4 budget (€ 8.6m) divided into main categories
study grants
due to
increased
intake because
of double
school leavers
2008
€ 1.2m
(14%)
Increase in
study grants
due to
increased
intake – general
€ 7.4m
(86%)
Source: Finance Act 2011.
The study grant system continues in 2011 without any significant changes. A total of € 26.7m is
allocated in 2011 for study grants. Part of this, namely study grants derived from more students being
admitted to programmes (and increase in study grants in connection with the double year-group), is
financed under GEP with € 7.4m and €1.2m respectively.
54
New planned activities in 2011
The rules for receiving study grants are sought slightly changed in 2011. An improvement of the Study
Grant Law will include improvements for the Greenlandic students in Denmark. On the one hand for
the students receiving the Greenlandic Study Grant a supplement for books and travel expenses will
be a part of the grant. And for the Greenlandic students choosing to receive the Danish Study Grant it
is sought to provide the students with a free trip to their hometown in Greenland, like the students on
the Greenlandic Grants already have.
Targets
Expenditure on education (indicator 1). The results under focal area 4 are evaluated on the basis of
the indicator that measures public expenditure on education, which is a precondition for managing a
cash based study grant system.
Target for 2011 is set in accordance with the approved Finance Act for 2011.
Table 26-28 summarizes results and targets for this indicator.
Table26: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total public expenditure (indicator 1.1)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Target
2011 and
result 2010
difference
16.1 15.5 17.6 19.7 19.2 19.2 19.3 0.1
Source: Finance Act for various years.
Note: This is input indicator.
Table27: Expenditure on education (Million Euro) (indicator 1.2)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Differenc
e target
2011in %
of result
2010
Average
Annual
growth
rate
2005-
2010
115.5 114.7 141.3 161.4 167.3 167.9 167.0 -0,5 9.0
Source: Finance Act for various years.
Note: This is input indicator. It enters the calculation of the variable tranche with a weight of 10% in 2011.
Table28: Expenditure on education, indexed (2005=100) (indicator 1.3)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target 2011
100 99 122 140 145 146 145
Source: Finance Act for various years. Note: This is input indicator.
4.2.5 Focal area 5: Dropout rates and completion
Status
It is obvious that the completion rate and the dropout rate are interrelated with efficient number of
dormitories, institution facilities and qualified teachers that therefore is a top priority focal area for
GoG.
55
It is obvious that especially dropout is problem for optimal utilization of the resources in the education
sector. The dropout rate is especially high with youth education, i.e. VET and high schools, whereas
the dropout rate at higher education is relatively low compared to internationally experienced levels.
Even though dropout is considered to be a problem it should be noted that drop-out can also have
positive effects when students change and choose for them a more appropriate line of education.
Therefore it is important to look at dropout in connection with the number of students who are
registered as repeaters.
After a steady decrease in the dropout since 2005 the rate rose steeply in 2009. This was primarily in
the VET schools and the development seems likely to be connected to the effect of the financial crisis
in progress.
Focal area 5 receives € 0.9m, or 1.7%, of the GEP budget in 2011. The allocation of the total amount
to different activities is shown in figure 14.
Figure 14: Focal area 5 budget (€ 0.9m) divided into main categories
Closer links
between
schools and
business/trades
€ 0.1m (9%)
Better guidance
for reduction in
drop-out rates
€ 0.8m
(91%)
Source: Finance Act 2011.
Planned new activities in 2011
In 2010 a large survey of the reasons for the drop out in high schools was done by Anthropologist
Lotte Kjær. This survey will become official in three languages in 2011; English, Danish and
Greenlandic. The survey will be used to further work with lowering drop out rates, however in 2011 the
funds for this work will not be added to yet.
Focus will be on building more dormitories and more educational institutions while the initiatives to
lower drop out rates will be sought standardized and with funds available for implementation, if this
way to work is approved politically.
Targets
The results under focal area 5 are evaluated on the basis of the following indicators:
56
• Number of graduates (indicator 9)
• Number of repeaters (indicator 10)
• Number of dropouts (indicator 11a)
Number of graduates (indicator 9): The total number is targeted to 830 in 2011. This is a growth of 3.9
% compared with 2010. The average annual growth over the period 2005-2010 was 6.6 %, higher
especially in the first years. Target for 2011 is therefore again reflecting that the growth rate of
graduates is stabilizing at a lower level.
Table 29: Number of graduates by type of education (indicator 9.1)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Differen
ce
target
2011 in
% of
result
2010
Average
annual
growth
rate
2005-
2010
Total 581 597 679 716 754 799 830 3.9 6.6
VET 247 251 292 309 331 321 330 2.8 5.3
High
School
Educati
on
173 213 221 237 236 278 290 4.3 9.9
Total
Higher
Educati
on
161 133 166 170 187 200 210 5.0 4.4
Of
which
first
cycle
106 85 111 115 116 124 130 4.8 3.2
Of
which
second
cycle
55 48 55 55 71 76 80 5.2 6.7
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an outcome indicator. It enters the calculation of the variable tranche with a weight of 15% in 2011.
Table30: Graduates by type of education, indexed 2005=100 (indicator 9.2)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Total 100 103 117 123 130 138 143
VET 100 102 118 125 134 130 134
High
School
Education
100 123 128 137 136 161 168
Total
Higher
education
100 83 103 106 116 124 130
Of which
first cycle 100 80 105 108 109 117 123
57
Of which
second
cycle
100 87 100 100 129 138 145
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an outcome indicator.
Repeaters (indicator 10
Table31: Number of repeaters attending vocational education and training and high school
education (indicator 10.1)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Differen
ce
target
2011 in
% of
result
2010
Average
annual
growth
rate
2005-
2010
Total 47 40 38 68 65 77 80 3.9 10.4
VET 18 18 27 28 35 43 45 4.7 19.0
High
School
Educa-
tion
29 22 11 40 30 34 35 2.9 3.2
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an outcome indicator.
Table 32: Repeaters attending relative to total attendance in vocational education and training
and high school education (indicator 10.2)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Total 2.4 1.9 1.7 2.8 2.6 2.9 3.0
VET 1.6 1.5 2.1 1.9 2.5 1.6 1.7
High
School
Education
3.5 2.7 1.3 4.1 2.7 1.3 1.3
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an outcome indicator.
Table 33: Repeaters attending vocational education and training and high school education,
indexed (2005=100) (indicator 10.3)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Total 100 85 81 145 138 164 170
VET 100 100 150 156 194 238 250
High
School
Education
100 76 38 138 103 117 121
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an outcome indicator.
58
Number of students to dropout from formal education (indicator 11a): This indicator is expected to
stabilize compared to 2010. At the one hand, apprenticeship places are expected to fall short of
demand, primarily due to the financial crisis. Capacity of dormitories and education building will also
continue to be limited in 2011. On the other hand the initiatives to reduce dropout rates that were
started in the previous years are expected to have positive impact.
Table 34: Number of dropouts by type of education (indicator 11a.1)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Differen
ce
target
2011 in
%
of result
2010
Average
annual
growth
rate
2005-
2010
Total 639 689 675 706 809 875 875 0 6.5
VET 291 287 290 281 367 418 418 0 7.5
High
School
Educati
on
179 218 187 240 260 257 257 0 7.5
Total
Higher
Educati
on
169 184 195 185 182 200 200 0 3.4
Of
which
first
Cycle
111 127 106 115 111 113 113 0 0.3
Of
which
second
Cycle
58 57 89 70 71 87 87 0 8.4
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an outcome indicator.
59
Table 35: Dropout rate relative to total attendance by type of education (indicator 11a.2)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Total 23.7 23.6 22.2 21.5 23.7 23.8 23.8
VET 26.5 23.0 22.1 19.5 26.5 28.3 28.3
High
School
Education
21.6 26.2 21.6 24.7 23.7 21.9 21.9
Total
Higher
Education
21.8 21.9 23.0 20.6 19.6 19.4 19.4
Of which
first cycle 24.4 26.0 21.9 22.0 21.8 19.8 19.8
Of which
Second
cycle
18.1 16.2 24.4 18.8 16.9 19.0 19.0
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an outcome indicator. It enters the calculation of the variable tranche with a weight of 15% in 2011.
Table 36: Dropout rate by type of education, indexed (2005=100) (indicator 11a.3)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Total 100 108 106 110 127 137 137
VET 100 99 100 97 126 144 144
High
School
Education
100 122 104 134 145 144 144
Total
Higher
Education
100 109 117 109 108 118 118
Of which
first cycle 100 114 98 104 100 102 102
Of which
second
cycle
100 98 153 121 122 150 150
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an outcome indicator.
4.2.6 Focal area 6: Building and housing
Status
There is general shortage of housing and building facilities in Greenland. Also dormitories are lacking.
The problem became again very visible in the fall of 2010 when long waiting lists showed up in Nuuk,
Aasiaat and Qaqortoq. A further problem is the standard of the existing facilities. Many units are of old
age and are to some extent infiltrated with fungus.
At present it is estimated that approximately 375 units are in a condition that must be characterized as
unsatisfactory. Also several cities must rent rooms on the private market to meet demand for
dormitories, which is an expensive solution for the institutions. The total of rentals is expected to be
60
197 units in 2011. All in all approximately 572 units is needed if it has to be insured that dormitories
are of a sufficient quality and that all demand are met by owned capacity.
Table 37: Dormitory Capacity 2011
City Education Piareersarfiit Total Rentals
Aasiaat 186 21 207 84
Ilulissat 163 37 142 0
Maniitsoq 44 26 70 0
Narsaq 118 9 78 0
Nuuk 519 0 556 58
Paamiut 59 0 59 4
Sisimiut 327 30 357 0
Qaqortoq 197 24 223 51
Total 1.613 147 1.760 197
Source: MoCERC.
Ongoing activities and expected expansion
Table 38: Dormitories and buildings
Result
2010
Expected
2011
Dormitories completes (7.a) 0 166
New educational institutions completed (7.b) 0 1
Extensions of educational institutions
completed (7.c) 1
Source: MoCERC.
Note: This is an output indicator.
Indicator 7a. Number of dormitories completed:
In 2011 166 units are expected to be completed. A new dormitory containing 42 units are expected to
be opened in Nuuk. These dormitory units are especially designed for younger students, primarily
apprenticeship students.
66 units will also be opened in Nuuk. These units were originally designed by private investors that
however went bankruptcy. GoG has taken over the units.
Finally, 58 units will be opened in Ilulissat along with the expansion of the school for social worker
education (SPS). The units consist of 38 apartments, primarily for students with family, and finally 20
single room units.
In 2011 the preparation for building dormitories in Aasiaat and Qaqortoq will start. For both cities the
plan is to expand capacity with 50 units in each city.
Indicator 7b. New educational institutions completed:
The Greenland School of Minerals and Petroleum is expected to be in operation from 2011 and
onwards. The school will supply courses within mining (demolition and rescue Common Core
courses), oil, gas and Petroleum. The school is located in Sisimiut alongside with the school for
Building and Construction.
Indicator 7.c: Extensions of educational institutions completed
The school for Social Worker Education (SPS) is being extended. From 2011 the school will have
doubled its capacity, thereby being able to meet the increasing demand for social workers.
61
4.2.7 Focal area 7: Structural monitoring, development potential and
perspectives.
Status
Strengthening of monitoring and planning capacity and mechanisms in the education sector is an
essential element of GEP. This focal area includes also initiatives, which support the education sector
performance, such as awareness-raising of the general public.
On-going activities
Focal area 7 receives € 2.4m, or 4.9%, of the GEP budget in 2011. The allocation of the total amount
to different activities is shown in figure 15.
Figure 15: Focal area 7 budget (€ 2.4m) divided into main categories
Cam-
paigns
€ 0.1m
(3%)GEP team
€ 0.1m
(5%)
Projects
€ 0.6m
(25%)
ICT and E-
learning
€ 0.8m
(33%)
Day care
reform
€ 0.8m
(34%)
Source: Finance Act 2011.
“The Good Day Care Reform” makes up around 1/3 of the allocated funds under focal area 7. Recent
research has shown that the condition for success in further education is laid out in the early
childhood. Therefore day care is being seen as one of the important areas regarding development of
children in to school children and then young adults with competencies to begin further education.
Also looking into the use of ICT and e-learning as a way of improving teaching conditions is important
and the share of the budget is 29%. Development projects primarily within statistical subjects make up
22% of the budget.
Planned new activities in 2011
A two day stake holder conference is organized by GoG in January in Ilulissat. The participants are
stake holders from all parts of the education sector. Also labour market organisations are invited. The
conference is based on dialogue and choices and is meant to bring the different areas/organisations
working with education together to discuss the progress up till now and formulate some
recommendations for the future work within the GEP.
A new project on Primary Learning Assessment (PLA) to measure informal real competencies in the
Greenlandic population has been initiated. The project follows an EU standardized concept adapted to
the Greenland geography and makes use of existing work force systems. The project is piloted in the
South municipality of Greenland (Kujalleq Kommunea) and has established a survey database
62
administered by the branch schools entering information about real competencies for unemployed and
others in the sectors of building/construction, food production, commerce and tourism. The pilot is
financed by GEP and is expected to progress to include other regions of the country if proven
successful.
Targets and impact indicators
Most of the targets that are related to focus area 7 are impact indicators which monitor medium to long
term impacts in the Greenlandic society. Indicators 12.a and 8 are included in the variable tranche
calculation.
Indicator 8
As mentioned several times in this report the main goal of GEP is that 2/3 of the workforce should
have an education at the minimum level 3 by ISCED standards by 2020. This is in practice measured
by the internationally accepted classification ISCED. Up till now there has been no official statistics
measuring the level of education in Greenland. In 2010 Statistics Greenland did the first calculations
based on register data for the use of measuring the value of indicator 8. For results see table 39 and
40.
Table 39: Share of work force divided by ISCED level (total numbers)
ISCED 2009 2010 Target
2011
ISCED level 0-2 21.812 21.775 21.700
ISCED level 3-6 11.519 11.765 11.850
Total 33.331 33.520 33.550
Source: Statistics Greenland
Table 40: Share of work force divided by ISCED level (percentage)
ISCED 2009 2010 Target
2011
ISCED level 0-2 65.4 64.9 64.5
ISCED level 3-6 34.6 35.1 35.1
Total 100 100 100
Source: Statistics Greenland
The statistics shows that the education level is 35.1 % of the work force in 2010.
The source data contains some draw backs and flaws that mean that the measured level of the
education level is at best a minimum level number. First and foremost, the register data for the
persons educated receiving Greenlandic study grants only covers the period from 1980 and onwards,
meaning that the older part of the population is not covered by the statistics. Secondly, the part of the
work force that has achieved an education without study grants, but has received salary during the
education, such as policemen and airplane mechanics, are only partly covered. Statistics Greenland
has not been able to make adjustments to the above statistics to cover these areas with estimates,
and to come closer to a reliable number of the level of education. The reported statistics does however
give a reasonable picture of the development from year to year in the level of education.
Finally it should be noted that the work force is defined as persons in the age group 15-62 years,
excluding those that are either receiving study grants or receive some social benefits that exclude
them from taking jobs. In an international comparison this makes the reporting of Greenland's
education level lower, since the international standard used by OECD defines the work force as
persons in the age group from 25 years to retirement age.
63
Job insertion
Table41: Graduates obtaining a job (numbers), (Indicator 12.a1)
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Total 645 673 712 725
Of which VET 283 297 308 312
Of which high school 213 223 235 240
Of which higher education
(first cycle) 104 108
117 119
Of which higher education (second cycle) 45 45
52 54
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an outcome indicator. It enters the calculation of the variable with a weight of 10% in 2011.
Table42: Graduates obtaining a job relative to total graduates, (Indicator 12.a2)
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Total 0.95 0.94 0.93 0.93
Of which VET 0.97 0.96 0.94 0.93
Of which high School 0.96 0.94 0.92 0.92
Of which higher education
(first cycle) 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94
Of which higher education
(second cycle) 0.82 0.81 0.80 0.81
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an outcome indicator.
Table43: Graduates obtaining a job index 2009= 100, (Indicator 12.a3)
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Target
2011
Total 100 104 110 112
Of which VET 100 105 109
110
Of which high School 100 105 110
113
Of which higher education
(first cycle) 100 104
113 114
Of which higher education
(second cycle) 100 100
116 120
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an outcome indicator.
Enterprise start-ups (indicator 13). Data received from Statistics Greenland concerning this indicator
show implausible values at aggregated as well as disaggregated level. The problem still seems to be
the registration in GER (Grønlands Erhvervs Register/Business Register of Greenland). GER still
seems to register genuine new enterprises as well as old enterprises that have registered for the first
time. It is not possible to divide between these two forms registrations and for this reason the reported
statistic is a mixture of new enterprises and old enterprises that enters the register for the first time.
The share of old enterprises that registers for the first time seems still to be of a great magnitude and
for this reason no reporting will be done in AWP 2010 and AIR 2009 regarding this indicator. However,
64
Statistics Greenland and MoCERC continue to evaluate the quality of the business register to see if
improvement in the statistical data occurs.
GDP (indicator 14). The expected value for GDP per capita for 2008 and 2009 are set in accordance
with the expected growth rates at 1, 5 % and -2% that are being reported in PFM.
Table44: GDP (Indicator 14)
Result
2006
Result
2007
Expected
2008
Expected
2009
GDP per
capita, Euro
(indicator 14.1)
25,000 26,340 26,735
26,200
GDP per capita
indexed
(indicator 14.3)
100 105 107
105
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note1): This is an impact indicator. Note2): Statistics Greenland expects to release finalized data for 2008 by the end of 2010.
Total external grants by origin (indicator 15).
Table45: Total external grants by origin (Denmark and EU) (In Euro)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Result
2010
Expected
2011
Expected
2011 %
of 2010
Total 524,253 528,314 554,533 568,371 592,369 594,105 0.3
From
Denmark 481,827 495,387 512,280 526,117 550,153
551,803 0.3
From EU
Total 42,426 42,927 42,253 42,253 42,217
42,302 0.01
Source: Finance Act various years.
Note: This is an impact indicator.
Table46: Total external grants in percentage of total public budget (indicator 15.2)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Expected
2010
Total 45.6 44.5 44.0 43.0 43.9 43.7
From Denmark 41.9 41.0 40.6 39.8 40.8 40.6
From EU Total 3.7 3.6 3.4 3.2 3.1 3.1
Source: Finance Act various years.
Note: This is an impact indicator.
Table47: Total external grants by origin (Denmark and EU) 2005=100 (indicator 15.3)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Expected
2010
Total 100 102.7 105.8 108.4 113.0 113.3
From Denmark 100 102.8 106.3 109.2 114.2 114.5
From EU Total 100 101.02 99.6 99.6 99.5 99.7
Source: Finance Act various years.
Note: This is an impact indicator.
65
Below is listed the indicators measuring aspects of employment (indicator 16). No targets are set in
relation to these indicators. It should be noted that the method of calculation has been changed
between 2006 and 2007 by Statistics Greenland, making a comparison between these years difficult.
Table48: Employment by sectors, numbers (indicator 16.1)
Result 2006 Result 2007 Result 2008
Total 28,743 28,493 29,806
1. Agriculture, horticulture forestry 13 17 18
2. Fishing 1,411 1,246 1,211
3. Mining and quarrying 139 128 97
4. Mfr. of food, beverages and tobacco 603 846 844
5. Mfr. Of textiles 33 35 29
6. Mfr. of wood products, printing and publ. 98 107 105
7. Mfr. of chemicals and plastic products 4 4 2
8. Mfr. of other non-metallic mineral products 11 8 9
9. Mfr. of basic metals and fabr. metal prod. 117 82 72
10. Electricity and water supply 445 355 316
11. Construction 2,111 2,075 2,144
12. Sale and rep. Of motor vehicles, sales of
auto 228 206 202
13. Wholesale except of motor vehicles 1,808 2,537 3,804
14. Re. trade and repair work ex. Of motor
vehicle 2,757 2,423 1,512
15. Hotels and restaurants 880 980 999
16. Transport 2,111 2,224 2,199
17. Post and telecom. 386 512 497
18. Finance and insurance 161 216 222
19. Letting/sale of real estate 367 319 707
20. Business activities 784 813 1033
21. Public administration 12,592 11,905 12,221
22. Education 44 91 117
23. Human health act. 8 6 5
24. Social institutions 49 115 132
25. Associations, culture and refuse disposal 507 1,208 1,297
26. Activity not stated 1,075 35 14
Source: Statistics Greenland.
Note: This is an impact indicator.
66
Table49: Employment rate by sectors, percentage (indicator 16.2)
Result 2006 Result 2007 Result 2008
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0
1. Agriculture, horticulture forestry 0.0 0.1 0.1
2. Fishing 4.9 4.4 4.1
3. Mining and quarrying 0.5 0.4 0.3
4. Mfr. of food, beverages and tobacco 2.1 3.0 2.8
5. Mfr. Of textiles 0.1 0.1 0.1
6. Mfr. of wood products, printing and publ. 0.3 0.4 0.4
7. Mfr. of chemicals and plastic products 0.0 0,0 0.2
8. Mfr. of other non-metallic mineral products 0.0 0.0 0.0
9. Mfr. of basic metals and fabr. metal prod. 0.4 0.3 0.2
10. Electricity and water supply 1.5 1.2 1.1
11. Construction 7.3 7.3 7.2
12. Sale and rep. Of motor vehicles, sales of
auto 0.8 0.7 0.7
13. Wholesale except of motor vehicles 6.3 8.9 12.8
14. Re. trade and repair work ex. Of motor
vehicle 9.3 8.9 5.1
15. Hotels and restaurants 3.1 3.4 3.4
16. Transport 7,3 7.8 7.4
17. Post and telecom. 1.3 1.8 1.7
18. Finance and insurance 06 0.8 0.7
19. Letting/sale of real estate 13 1.1 2.4
20. Business activities 2.7 2.9 3.5
21. Public administration 43.8 41.8 41.0
22. Education 0.2 0.3 0.4
23. Human health act. 0.0 0.0 0.0
24. Social institutions 0.2 0.4 0.4
25. Associations, culture and refuse disposal 1.8 4.2 4.4
26. Activity not stated 3.7 0.0 0.0
Source: Statistics Greenland.
Note: This is an impact indicator.
67
Table50: Employment by sectors, indexed 2006 = 100 (indicator 16.3)
Result 2006 Result 2007 Result 2008
Total 100.0 99.1 103.4
1. Agriculture, horticulture forestry 100.0 130.8 138.5
2. Fishing 100.0 88.3 85.8
3. Mining and quarrying 100.0 92.1 69.8
4. Mfr. Of food, beverages and tobacco 100.0 140.3 140.0
5. Mfr. of textiles 100.0 106.1 87.9
6. Mfr. of wood products, printing and publ. 100.0 109.2 107.1
7. Mfr. of chemicals and plastic products 100.0 100.0 50.0
8. Mfr. of other non-metallic mineral products 100.0 72.7 81.8
9. Mfr. of basic metals and fabr. metal prod. 100.0 70.1 61.5
10. Electricity and water supply 100.0 79.8 71,0
11. Construction 100.0 98.3 101.6
12. Sale and rep. Of motor vehicles, sales of
auto 100.0 90.4 88.6
13. Wholesale except of motor vehicles 100.0 140.3 210.4
14. Re. trade and repair work ex. of motor
vehicle 100.0 87.9 54.8
15. Hotels and restaurants 100.0 105.4 113.5
16. Transport 100.0 134.2 104.2
17. Post and telecom. 100.0 86.9 128.8
18. Finance and insurance 100.0 103.7 137.9
19. Letting/sale of real estate 100.0 94.5 192.6
20. Business activities 100.0 103.7 131.8
21. Public administration 100.0 94.5 97.1
22. Education 100.0 206.8 265.9
23. Human health act. 100.0 75.0 62.5
24. Social institutions 100.0 234.7 269.4
25. Associations, culture and refuse disposal 100.0 238.3 255.8
26. Activity not stated 100.0 3.3 1.3
Source: Statistics Greenland.
Note: This is an impact indicator.
Health (indicator 17). Experienced health achievements in the Greenlandic society are considered as
a direct result of those significant societal changes that has happened since beginning of the 20th
century. Among the changes that have had greatest influence (positively as well as negatively) on
social and health status of the Greenlandic population are the following26
:
• The transition from a traditional hunting based society to a modern society based on wage
earning.
• Improvements in: housing conditions, refuse disposal and food security.
• Increased contacts with the rest of the world.
• Immigration of Europeans to Greenland implying increase of total population as well as higher
population concentrations.
• Changes in diet and physical activity.
• Increased access to alcohol and tobacco.
26
From the National Plan on Public Health of the Greenlandic Population 2007-2012, cf.
http://www.peqqik.gl/Home/Sundhed/~/media/7D18669C75BD44479F42825260AF8C22.ashx
68
• Increased access to modern and effective health care.
• Change in the family pattern from 3 generations in one household to 2 generations.
• Improvements in the population’s general educational level.
Improvements in the public health status of the Greenland population status have therefore been
dependent on the relative combined impact of developments in mainly basic social and societal
conditions. The experiences from Greenland are therefore comparable to international evidence that
mainly improvements in population nutritional status, general housing conditions, increased education
level, high employment level and a high degree of social and economic equality constitutes the most
important factors for improvements in the population heath status.
In the past 30-40 years many of the life style factors related to modern life found in the developed
world populations are also found to have a significant impact in Greenland. These include an elevated
level of alcohol and tobacco consumption, limited physical activity and unhealthy diet habits causing
cancer and circulatory diseases. Greenland is therefore described as being subject to a double
disease burden, i.e. with disease burden components characteristic for a population in transition in
addition to disease components common for populations in developed countries.
A particular public health related issue in Greenland is the high rate of suicide, which is found to be
among the highest in the world. Suicides are mainly found among males in the age group 15–35 years
and the phenomenon is also found in many other indigenous populations in the Arctic area. Possible
explanations for the particular high suicide rates have been suggested27
but no exact reasons are
identified for the high suicide rate in Greenland. A national strategy for suicide prevention was
launched in 200428
.
Another important health issue is the relatively high infant mortality rate (IMR). Though significant
improvements has happened in this key public health indicator during the past 30-40 years IMR is
found to be relatively high not only to developed countries but also compared to other Arctic
populations. Main reasons for the experienced improvements are found to be general improvements in
general life conditions but also issues related to effectiveness and coverage in the health care sector
are found to have an impact also for potential future improvements.
Life expectancy at birth (LEB) is still at a relatively low level compared to other developing countries
but comparable to other indigenous populations in the Arctic. Main reasons for the relative low life
expectancy are due to the high rates of violent deaths, including suicides, as well as the relatively high
IMR. Accidents and injuries are also causing a high toll of life years lost, in particular among men.
Alcohol consumption in combination with the specific climate conditions prevailing in Greenland
provide risk factors where accidents often can have fatal consequences, e.g. at sea. Suicides and
other violent deaths (including alcohol related accidents and injuries) are therefore main reasons for
the difference in life expectancy on app. 5 years between Greenlandic men and women. LEB has
increased steadily from 2005 to 2008, by 1.1 years for men and by 0.7 year for women. This
aggregate indicator therefore verifies overall progress in health status of the Greenlandic population.
Below is listed the indicators measuring various aspects of Greenland public health. No targets are set
in relation to these indicators. It should be taken into consideration that the absolute magnitude of data
behind many of the statistics below is small. This means that small changes in the absolute data can
result in large changes in the relative aggregate data.
Statistics about health are summarized in tables 39-44 below.
27
Coping and adaptation issues related to life in an modern society including change in related sex roles is one of
the hypotheses for the high suicide rate among young Greenlandic men. 28
See link to National Strategy for Suicide Prevention:
http://www.peqqik.gl/Home/Sundhed/~/media/ADE5BBDBA37F4D1B9F5B555A75C8BFF3.ashx
69
Table51: Life expectancy at birth (Indicator 17.1)
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Male 65.5 65.8 66.3 66.6
Female 70.9 71.2 71.3 71.6
Source: Statistics Greenland.
Note: This is an impact indicator.
Table52: Indicator 17.2: Birth rate – born per 1,000
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Male 15.0 13.7 14.9 14.7
Female 16.2 16.1 15.3 14.9
Source: Statistics Greenland.
Note: This is an impact indicator.
Table53: Indicator 17.3: Number of children per household
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Male 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.37 0.35
Female 0.37 0.37 0.37 0.36 0.34
Source: Statistics Greenland.
Note: This is an impact indicator.
Table54: Indicator 17.4: Infant mortality, per 1,000 children born
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Male 8.8 16.9 8.9 9.1
Female 6.9 14.0 7.4 10.2
Source: Statistics Greenland Note: This is an impact indicator
Table55: Indicator 17.5: Rate of suicide, per 1,000 inhabitants
Result
2005
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Male 12.6 40.0 27.0 30.0 29.0
Female 4.1 18.0 12.0 6.0 8.0
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an impact indicator.
Table56: Indicator 17.6: Main diseases reported
Result
2006
Result
2007
Result
2008
Result
2009
Hepatitis 6 0 0 4
Tuberculosis 73 60 62 62
HIV positive 5 3 1 4
AIDS 2 0 1 0
Syphilis 0 2 1 0
Source: Statistics Greenland. Note: This is an impact indicator.
