Media Statement - 5th November 2007
Three new boarding colleges will be built in the Northern Territory as part of Federal Labor’s Education Revolution to promote secondary school retention and support for Indigenous students from remote communities.
Federal Labor has a long term commitment to improving educational outcomes for Indigenous children in the Northern Territory. Retention of Northern Territory students to Year 12 is also low at just 58 per cent, compared with the Australian rate of 75 per cent. Federal Labor will work to improve this retention rate.
Improving secondary school education attendance and retention is critical for Indigenous children. Education builds a student’s opportunity for employment and opportunity in life.
Across the Northern Territory many communities and organisations have committed to improving educational opportunities for Indigenous children, and Federal Labor wants to work in partnership with them and Indigenous people to realise these commitments.
A Rudd Labor Government will contribute $25.9 million over four years towards the cost of building and operating three new boarding colleges for secondary students in the Northern Territory. In the spirit of building partnerships to improve educational outcomes, a capital contribution of $15 million will also be sought from the Indigenous Land Corporation.
The total investment would be $40.9 million, including operating costs, with one college opening in 2009 and two in 2010.
Federal Labor will also commit $60.6 million over four years to provide extra funding for 200 additional teachers in NT Indigenous communities.
Thousands of Indigenous children in the Northern Territory do not attend school each year, but if they did there would not even be enough teachers to teach them. This extra education funding is critical to supporting Federal Labor’s Indigenous Economic Development statement also released today.
Building economic development in Indigenous communities can only occur if there is sound foundational education and training.
As part of Federal Labor’s commitment to close the 17 year life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, we have also established a national goal of halving the gap in reading, writing and numeracy achievement within a decade.
These commitments are supported by a $261 million package focusing on Indigenous children's health and education in the early years. Locations for the boarding colleges will be determined following consultation with local communities and the Northern Territory Government.
Two 40 bed and one 72 bed colleges would accommodate students from years 8‑12, along with a kitchen and dining area, plus an indoor recreation area and lounge area. Funding also includes accommodation for staff.
The colleges will be designed and constructed in a way that allows for future expansion to meet growing need. Federal Labor’s commitment is in addition to the two boarding colleges already proposed for the Northern Territory.
As part of its National Indigenous Land Strategy 2007-2012, the ILC has committed to establishing student hostels to enable Indigenous youth from remote communities to obtain secondary school education. Based on current projections of expected return from the Indigenous Land Fund the ILC should have funding available for this project.
Federal Labor will develop management options for these colleges in consultation with the Northern Territory Government, local communities, Aboriginal Hostels Limited and other interested parties.