National minority languages – short-sighted and inadequate central government initiatives
(RiR 2025:16)
Summary
The central government has undertaken to preserve the vitality of the national minority languages. In Sweden, recognised national minority languages are Finnish, Meänkieli (Tornedal Finnish), Romani, Sámi and Yiddish. Everyone has the right to speak their own language, and language is an important part of each individual’s identity. Furthermore, minority languages form part of Swedish culture and cultural heritage.
The Swedish National Audit Office has examined the work of the Institute for Language and Folklore, the Stockholm County Administrative Board, Lund University, the Sámi Parliament, the National Agency for Education, Stockholm University, Södertörn University, the Swedish Council for Higher Education and Umeå University to preserve the vitality of national minority languages. Government agencies are to contribute to the coordination of language teaching, seek to reinforce teacher supply, be responsible for language centres and language planning, and provide support and monitor developments in the field.
The overall conclusion of the Swedish National Audit Office is that the central government’s efforts do not suffice to attain the objective of keeping national minority languages alive. Besides, the central government could use its resources more efficiently – for example by allocating resources over a longer horizon rather than to short-term initiatives. The Swedish National Audit Office also sees a need for better coordination of minority language teaching, clearer information about pathways to teacher training, and for information and support in this area to be more cohesive and readily available.
Resources could be used more effectively with a longer-term approach
The Swedish National Audit Office considers that the Government could use its resources more effectively to preserve minority languages by commissioning responsible government agencies with working with a long-term approach on language centres, promoting the production of teaching materials, providing support and monitoring developments in the field. Government agencies have difficulties in finding qualified staff to work with their commissions, and it takes time to build up relevant skills and secure the support of language bearers (individuals who feel a sense of belonging to the minority language). This means that government agencies have difficultly in quickly scaling up operations over a few years. For this reason, substantial resources allocated to bolster minority languages over the period 2022–2024 have not been used. The Swedish National Audit Office considers that the central government’s resources could be used more effectively if government agencies had a long-term approach in their planning and work, based on commissions in accordance with the instructions of their remit.
More people could be taught minority languages through better coordination
Since the number of minority language teachers is limited, it is essential that language teaching is coordinated effectively. Remote teaching is an important means of coordination. Nonetheless, the National Agency for Education needs to know which education providers have, or lack access to, teachers for these languages, if they are to help establish solutions for better coordination. At present, this information is limited to which education providers use remote teaching.
The Government also needs to take measures to ensure that the regulation of remote teaching supports the objective of preserving the vitality of minority languages. Today, it is optional for education providers to investigate the possibility of using remote teaching if they do not have a teacher in place. This poses a risk of pupils not receiving teaching in minority languages, as remote teaching involves certain costs. In particular, if the financial compensation for the surplus costs involved in remote teaching ends as planned in December 2025, it is conceivable that education providers will refrain from offering remote teaching. Furthermore, it is not sufficiently clear who is permitted to sell remote teaching services for Sámi languages, and consequently the National Agency for Education does not communicate all education providers that do so.
Clearer information on pathways to teacher training
The audit shows that responsible higher education institutions direct information on minority language courses programmes primarily at language bearers rather than at student teachers. However, in order to successfully train more teachers in minority languages, this information should also be directed at individuals already showing an interest in the teaching profession. The Swedish Council for Higher Education’s compiled information about the range of courses in minority languages also needs to better highlight the pathways to and benefits of becoming a teacher in these languages. In addition, the Swedish National Audit Office notes that the courses and programmes available at higher education institutions do not match the need for teachers in all minority languages. For example, there is a considerable need for preschool teachers who speak minority languages, but to date higher education institutions have not offered any regular courses or programmes in these languages adapted for preschool teachers.
Involving language bearers in these efforts, for example through consultation, is an important factor for successful revitalisation. Contact with language bearers could also make it easier to disseminate information to potential students about pathways to teacher training. However, the audit shows that Umeå University does not regularly organise consultations, based on its responsibility to help produce more teachers in Meänkieli and the Sámi languages.
Information and support in this area need to be more cohesive and readily available
Many government agencies disseminate information and support material on minority languages, but it is too difficult for individuals to find and grasp the material. While the website Minoritet.se is relatively well known as a hub for such information and support, the Swedish National Audit Office considers that the website needs to be developed to be user-friendly and to ensure that its content meets the needs of the target groups.
Recommendations
The Swedish National Audit Office makes the following recommendations to the Government, Stockholm University, Umeå University, Lund University, Södertörn University and the Swedish Council for Higher Education.
To the Government
- In the instructions of its remit, commission the National Agency for Education with coordinating teaching and promoting the production of teaching materials for the national minority languages.
- Review regulations on remote teaching and outsourcing, with a view to promoting pupils’ access to remote teaching of national minority languages.
- In the instructions of its remit, commission the Institute for Languages and Folklore with responsibility for Finnish, Meänkieli, Romani and Yiddish language centres.
- In the instructions of their remits, commission the Stockholm County Administrative Board and the Sámi Parliament with working to achieve the goals of minority policy, improving knowledge about minorities and their rights and reporting on developments in the area.
- Transfer responsibility for the Minoritet.se website to the Stockholm County Administrative Board, or another government agency that the Government deems appropriate, and commission that government agency with developing the website’s content and user-friendliness.
To audited higher education institutions and the Swedish Council for Higher Education
- Improve information on opportunities for becoming a national minority language teacher, and disseminate information on a broader front in channels directed at prospective and current student teachers.
To Umeå University
- Organise regular consultations for the national minorities based on the higher education institution’s specific undertaking regarding teacher training in the Meänkieli and Sámi languages.