Mobile Pastoralists and Education: Strategic Options

Educating nomadic peoples in the context of rapid global socio-economic change is a challenge of massive proportions. This paper sets out to address this challenge in two ways: firstly by mapping the conceptual terrain of education; and secondly by highlighting those successful and innovative approaches to education provision around the world that can inform and inspire new approaches to nomadic education. Mapping the conceptual terrain is a prerequisite to approaching the complex and often sensitive and controversial set of issues relating to nomadic education, and will help to avoid the many pitfalls in current thinking. Section 1 of this paper identifies three areas of conceptual confusion. The first one concerns the popular understanding of education, schooling, learning and rights. The other two look at the trade-offs between school-based education and informal education, and between school-based education and pastoral production.