$10m student engagement over three years

An initial $10m over the next three years sets a new course for student engagement and improved educational outcomes, according to Minister for Education Lauren Moss.

It reflects 72 consultation sessions held across 21 urban, regional and remote communities and 51 online submissions.

Central to the strategy’s success will be embedding cultural and two-way learning in the curriculum and increasing the number of Aboriginal educators and cultural advisers in classrooms, says Ms Moss, including a range of urgent actions that have been identified across four key areas: Work with communities to embed cultural and two-way learning in the curriculum; establish a youth voice peak, and establish regional Aboriginal education advisory groups.

Its purpose getting the right people, doing the right things; providing students with meaningful learning and looking after the wellbeing of our kids.

Says Ms Moss: “We need every child attending school every day; this strategy offers a new approach for engaging students, ensuring schools are more culturally responsive, with communities at the centre of decision-making.

“Students, families, communities and educators have told us loud and clear what we need to do to lift attendance and support better educational outcomes for our kids.

“Our approach focuses on strengthening relationships with families and communities, embedding culture and first languages in teaching and learning, building our Aboriginal workforce in schools and better supporting the wellbeing of our kids.”

PHOTO (from left): Karen Weston CE Department of Education; Sizol Fuyana, Chair of the NT Youth Roundtable; Minister for Education Lauren Moss; Principal Susan Moore, Alice Springs Language Centre.

– CONTRIBUTED