Hi to all those who supported us in the effort to inform more people throughout Australia about the banning of Indigenous languages in the education of Indigenous children in the remote communities of the Northern Territory .
The mail out of materials went extremely well and this effort combined with actions taken within the NT itself have produced some results.
Firstly, without announcing that they were going to do so, the NT Department of Education and Training have removed ‘the first 4 hours of each day English only’ phrase from their literacy policy and replaced it with a new policy http://www.det.nt.gov.au/about-us/policies/documents/schools/framework-f.... This really is an admission of guilt for they realized that such a policy would not stand up to the scrutiny of UN and other Human Rights organizations.
However on its own this is not enough. It simply says we are not going to ban the use of Indigenous Languages at this important teaching time of the day but It does nothing to support and encourage the use of the children’s first languages in an academic context. For example if you are to develop literacy in the children’s mother tongue you need to be continually training new teachers and involving all such staff in appropriate professional development. You also need a literature in that language so writers and illustrators are required. Negating their own policy by the NTDET is to be welcomed but unless positive steps are taken to implement an effective program of bilingual education little will have been achieved.
Secondly some of you may be aware that the NT is having an election on the 25th of August. Interestingly the CLP have brought out their policy of education for Indigenous children and have stated quite clearly that they intend to re-establish bilingual education in this area. This sounds like a victory, but their track record for supporting bilingual education when thy were previously in power was not great. For many years they let the schools do it if they could manage on their own. Without systemic support many of them managed to do so but his is not how we treat the education of main stream children. Again a more positive program of support is required.
Could you and those in your networks write a brief note to the leaders of all parties or their candidates in the NT stating that you like many others throughout the world are aware of the inadequacies of the education offered to children in remote communities and urge them to ensure that the children’s first language is considered to be an integral part of their school education and is supported appropriately.
Attached is a list of NT electorates and their candidates with addresses where they are available.
Rosa McKenna
