Greenland’s education system is experiencing a significant language shift. Recent exam results and classroom observations reveal that Greenlandic schoolchildren are mastering English at a higher level than Danish—a trend that is prompting policymakers and educators to reconsider the traditional hierarchy of foreign languages in the curriculum.
Exam results show English surpassing Danish
Data from the 2024 school-leaving examinations show a clear disparity between the two languages. Over half of the students achieved top marks in oral English, whereas only around 30% reached the same level in oral Danish. In addition, approximately 30% of pupils failed their oral Danish tests, compared to just 10% for English.
A 2022 survey further confirmed that 26% of students believe they speak English well, while only 18% feel confident in Danish.
Political debate on language education reform
Traditionally, Danish has been the official first foreign language in Greenland, introduced from the first grade, while English—introduced in fourth grade—has played a secondary role. However, educators and political leaders now argue for an equal footing for both languages.
Doris Jensen, candidate for the party Siumut, explains:
“Naalakkersuisut has said that they would like to prioritize English, so therefore I think we will equalize Danish and English, because Greenland has become a magnet for the whole world.”
Jens NapãtôK from the party Naleraq adds his perspective: “Children don’t want to speak danish. That’s the problem. They want to speak English.”
Anna Wangenheim, candidate for the party Demokraatit, is in favor of introducing English earlier in the school system—without removing Danish entirely:
“We still have a historical connection to Denmark and a relationship between Danes and Greenlanders. So there is still some knowledge and learning that goes both ways, which I think would be a shame to phase out.”
Mimi Karlsen, candidate for the party Inuit Ataqatigiit, emphasizes the mutual benefits of balanced language education: “English and Danish are from the same European language, and they should be able to lift each other. If you equalize them, I think children can learn them both at once.”
English dominates greenland’s schoolyards and daily Life
Observations from schools such as Nuussuaq Skole in Nuuk underline this shift. During break times, the schoolyard resounds not only with Greenlandic and Danish but increasingly with English. School inspector Kistarak’ Danielsen observes that while some students still speak Danish, the majority are now conversing in Greenlandic and English.
Language researcher and lecturer at the University of Copenhagen, Naja Trondhjem (Grønlandske og Arktiske Studier), has witnessed these changes firsthand. She recalls:
Five years ago, there were not nearly as many who spoke English in the buses. But today I can observe that young people speak English with each other in the buses, and even little children speak English together.”
She adds: “They can switch between English and Greenlandic, I have also heard. But not between Danish and Greenlandic, unfortunately.”
Social media, online gaming, and international travel are also accelerating the trend. According to Naja Trondhjem,
“The English language is the world’s language today, and that has been realized in Greenland as well. Several parents also take their children on vacation to different places around the world.”
Naja Trondhjem further draws parallels with historical trends from the 1970s: “Many of them taught their children Danish instead of Greenlandic, and especially in the Nuuk area there were young people who started speaking only Danish. It resembles the development with English today.”
Yet, despite the growing popularity of English, many educators caution against reducing Danish instruction. Else Kreutzmann stresses: “Children need both languages. There are still some who go on to study in Denmark, and I believe that will continue in the future.”
Greenland’s future language policy: balancing English and Danish
Some schools are already experimenting with an earlier introduction of English by offering it from the first grade alongside Greenlandic and Danish. This innovative approach reflects a broader policy debate among Greenland’s four largest political parties, who are considering whether to equalize the teaching hours of Danish and English in the folkeskole (primary school).
As Greenland increasingly positions itself on the global stage, the evolving language preferences of its youth are reshaping educational priorities. The balance between maintaining historical ties with Denmark and preparing students for a globally connected world lies at the heart of this educational transformation.
