Overview of the General Education System

Greenland’s education system is shaped by its distinct cultural and historical background, with strong influences from Denmark. The introduction of formal education in Greenland began in 1721 when missionaries taught reading and writing to the Inuit population. Important advancements were made in 1905 through key legislation that promoted educational development. In the 1950s, reforms aimed to enhance educational connections with Denmark, particularly by addressing language differences between Danish and Greenlandic.

A major historical challenge in Greenland’s education system was the shortage of native Greenlandic-speaking teachers. This resulted in the widespread employment of Danish-speaking instructors. However, by the end of the 20th century, the proportion of Greenlandic-speaking teachers increased, aligning instruction more closely with Greenlandic language and culture. Today, Greenlandic serves as the primary medium of instruction, while Danish remains an important secondary language taught in schools.

The Department of Education, Culture, Sports, and Church, established in 2014, functions as the central authority responsible for shaping educational policies, developing curricula, and overseeing vocational and adult education programs.

The island's modern education structure includes pre-primary, primary, lower secondary, upper secondary, vocational, and tertiary education. Pre-primary education is widely accessible and includes nursery services for children aged from months to two, kindergartens for those aged three to six, as well as child-minding services and playgroups catering to the months to six years old age range. Local municipalities predominantly operate these services.

Primary and lower secondary education in Greenland spans ten years and is compulsory and free for all children between the ages of 6 and 16. Upon completion, about half of the students continue to a one-year continuation school either in Greenland or Denmark to further prepare for upper secondary studies or vocational training. However, only approximately 1 in 7 pupils transition directly to upper secondary education, which indicates that a significant portion of Greenlandic youth opt for other forms of post-compulsory educational experiences, such as vocational or continuation schools. Four towns, Aasiaat, Sisimiut, Nuuk, and Qaqortoq, host upper secondary schools (GUX).

Vocational education is provided through ten leading vocational colleges nationwide. These vocational programs combine theoretical instruction with hands-on apprenticeship training and can last from one to five years. The average age at which students enter upper secondary school is 20 years, whereas those beginning vocational education average 26 years old, suggesting a later educational progression compared to global norms.

Greenland claims a 100% literacy rate among both men and women, and higher education remains free for Danish citizens. This reflects the country’s commitment to accessible education.

Compulsory education in Greenland covers a ten-year period, mandated for all children aged 6 to 16 years. This phase of education is provided free of charge and is delivered through primary and lower secondary schools nationwide.

The structure of compulsory education is divided into three distinct stages. The first step, covering Grades 1 to 3, focuses on foundational skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. The middle step, which encompasses Grades 4 to 7, builds on these basics while introducing more complex subjects. The third and final step, which comprises Grades 8 to 10, prepares students for upper secondary education or vocational training, which concludes with examinations that result in a school-leaving certificate.

Throughout their compulsory education, students undergo evaluations at the end of both the first and middle steps. These assessments ensure they are meeting learning objectives and allow teachers to tailor instruction as needed.

Unique to Greenland’s context, students living in smaller settlements are often required to relocate to larger towns in order to attend Grades 8 to 10, which centralizes access to higher levels of compulsory education. After completing Grade 10, students may opt to attend a continuation school (efterskole) either within Greenland or in Denmark to enhance their academic or personal development before deciding on further education or training pathways.

Higher education in Greenland is provided primarily by Ilisimatusarfik – the University of Greenland, which was founded in 1987 in the capital city, Nuuk. As the nation’s sole university, Ilisimatusarfik offers 11 bachelor’s programs and 3 master’s programs in areas such as Greenlandic language and culture, social sciences, and natural sciences. The university actively collaborates with Danish institutions, as well as other Arctic educational networks, to provide joint degree programs that enhance the educational and research opportunities available to Greenlandic students. Short-cycle higher education options are also available through selected vocational institutions.

Admission to higher education in Greenland generally requires completion of the upper secondary school program (GUX), which is offered in Aasiaat, Sisimiut, Nuuk, and Qaqortoq. For students who need to improve their academic standing or meet specific program entry requirements, a one-year supplementary course is available in Sisimiut.

In addition to Ilisimatusarfik, the Inuit Ataqatigiit School of Education provides teacher training programs, which further supports the nation’s growing need for locally trained educators.

Higher education in Greenland benefits from close ties with institutions in Denmark and other Nordic countries through the Arctic Education Network, which enables student and staff exchanges as well as collaborative research initiatives. This network reflects Greenland’s strategy to overcome the limitations of its small domestic education market by integrating its system into broader regional academic frameworks. Importantly, higher education remains free for Danish citizens. This maintains the established educational cooperation between Greenland and Denmark.