Nenets schoolchildren dwelling in boarding-school in a village of Yamal peninsula were studied. Low level of socially useful activity was found as a consequence of teachers' pedagogical unskilfulness and of raindeer-breeders' children psychological crisis, resulting from their rejection of social norms established at the boarding-school, and separation from their ethnic and family environment. On the other hand, nenets adolescents demonstrate high level of personal interest in knowledge and of social responsibility for education results. Ethnic-cultural crisis of nenets schoolchildren is connected to general ecological and social one of indigenous population.