This Regional Law establishes the legal, economic, and social framework for nomadic (“mobile”) schools, aimed at ensuring access to education for indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North. The Regional Law seeks to provide free education to children without separating them from their families, who follow traditional nomadic lifestyles, while preserving indigenous languages, culture, and traditional economic activities. It defines a nomadic school as either an independent educational institution or a branch of an existing school operating in areas of traditional habitation, and outlines a flexible educational model combining in-person sessions, distance learning, and family-based instruction. The Regional Law identifies multiple types of nomadic schools, including mobile branches following reindeer herding groups, family-based schools, community schools, and seasonal or network-based formats. All models adapt education to traditional ways of life while maintaining compliance with general educational standards. Core principles include state support, respect for indigenous culture and language, integration of modern teaching methods and technologies, and a combination of different learning formats (full-time, part-time, distance, and self-education). The framework emphasizes accessibility, cultural preservation, and the integration of nomadic schools into the broader education system while ensuring children remain embedded in their traditional environment. Students of a nomadic school have the right to: (a) education in a nomadic family, familiarization with the national culture, native language, traditions and customs, acquisition of work skills; (b) health care; (c) education in their native language; (d) participation in the affairs of the family, school, community; and (e) work in the community and its remuneration in the established manner. The Regional Law also regulates governance, funding, and institutional responsibilities, assigning roles to regional authorities, local governments, and sectoral ministries. It guarantees free education at all levels, provides financial and logistical support (including transport and materials), and establishes safeguards for creating, reorganizing, or closing schools with community consent. Additional provisions include support for teacher training, social benefits for educators, health monitoring for students, and incentives for practical training linked to traditional livelihoods. Overall, the framework aims to balance modern educational standards with the protection of indigenous identity, ensuring equal educational opportunities while sustaining traditional lifestyles.
Russian Federation · 2008-07-22