Language, culture and identity in the transition to primary school: Challenges to indigenous children's rights to education in Peru

This paper analyses a ‘critical moment’ in the educational trajectories of young indigenous children in Peru: the transition to primary school. It addresses the inequalities in educational services that affect indigenous children, before looking at the micro-level processes that take place in school settings, through a focus on two selected case studies from the Young Lives study of childhood poverty. Using longitudinal information collected in two consecutive years, the case studies show how the children's language and culture are excluded from school premises and their very identity as children and indigenous people is disregarded, negatively affecting their educational performance.

► The study shows indigenous children in Peru face severe educational inequalities.
► Two case study children are examined when doing their transition to primary school.
► Children's culture and language are progressively excluded from preschool to school.
► Children experience physical punishment by teachers from grade 1.
► Indigenous children show difficulties in adaptation and poor school performance.