Batsaikhan

A Study of Alternative Training for Nomadic Children in Mongolia

Javzandulam Batsaikhan, Mongolian National University of Education Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Today, half of the Mongolian population (or over a million) resides in rural areas of Mongolia where the nomadic ways of life are perceived as normal. Although it is a nationally recognized issue, the concept and challenges of nomadism scores rather low (Krati, 2001) in Mongolia’s current society. This low score can be understood as a sign of the degree of its acceptance and normalcy and therefore “invisibility” (Bulag, 2010, p. 99). For example, in Mongolia the understanding is that one can be a herder as an occupation with the implication that one is still considered a nomad.