The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, today announced that 17 new classrooms and 19 additional teachers are already being delivered to remote communities in the Northern Territory as a result of additional Federal Government investment.
In partnership with the Northern Territory Government and education authorities, the Rudd Government has delivered these additional resources to our schools to help close the gap in the educational outcomes of Indigenous Australians.
The first 19 of a promised 50 new teachers in 2008 have taken up their postings in remote NT schools.
The first 19 teachers recently completed an intensive nine week professional learning program to enhance their early literacy and numeracy teaching skills and their ability to work effectively in a cross cultural environment.
As a result of this initiative, Maningrida Community Education Centre (CEC) will get three additional teachers; and Shepherdson College and Nganmarriyanga School will each receive two new teachers.
One new teacher apiece will go to Umbakumba School, Milingimbi CEC, Ramingining CEC, Yirrkala Homelands Centre, Lajamanu CEC, Gunbalanya CEC, Milikapiti School, Peppimenarti School, Ntaria School, Willowra Education Centre, Yuendemu CEC and Elliott Primary School.
The Rudd Government has committed $98.8 million over five years to support NT education providers to employ 200 extra teachers.
The Government is committed to delivering an additional 200 teachers to assist in the education of approximately 4500 students in the NT who are currently either not enrolled or not attending school regularly enough to benefit from their education.
Earlier this year the Rudd Government delivered $7.66 million to NT education providers for new classrooms in remote communities.
Construction of classrooms has already started with 13 classrooms in government schools expected to be completed by the end of September.
Classrooms are being delivered to Maningrida, Canteen Creek, Imangara, Willowra, Alpurrurulam, Imanpa, Laramba, Yuelamu, Harts Range, Bulman, and Jilkminggan. Each of these communities will receive one classroom with another two classrooms under construction at Gapuwiyak.
Four further classrooms at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School in Wadeye are due for completion in December 2008.
Eight additional classrooms will be constructed through 2008 and 2009, bringing the total to 25.
In addition, under the $4.854 million Accelerated Literacy initiative, regionally based specialist teams are working with 45 remote community schools to provide professional development on site and in context over the 2008 school year.
The Government has also invested $3.854 million to establish a Quality Teaching Package. This is focused in particular on developing and training local Indigenous teaching staff who are more likely to stay in remote locations over the longer term.
These initiatives are being delivered by the Rudd Government to help close the gap in educational and life outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.