Faroe Islands institutions started operating in the last quarter of the nineteenth century and developed throughout the twentieth century. The status of the Faroese language in education was a significant issue for decades, until it was accepted as a language of instruction in 1938. Initially education was administered and regulated by Denmark. In 1979 responsibilities on educational issues started transferring to the Faroese authorities, a procedure which was completed in 2002. The Ministry of Education, Research and Culture has the jurisdiction of educational responsibility in the Faroe Islands. Since the Faroe Islands is a constituent country of the Danish Realm, education in
Fauna of the Faroe Islands might start again on the islands at some point. Several species of whales live in the waters around the Faroe Islands. Best known are the long-finned pilot whales ("Globicephala melas"), but the more exotic killer whales ("Orcinus orca") sometimes visit the Faroese fjords, and this can lead to a somewhat dangerous encounter if you are in a small boat. Harbor porpoises are the most frequently sighted cetacea. They frequent the islands year round, though it seems to be in larger numbers around the northern islands than the rest of the country. Blue whales can sometimes appear during the months of