Aboriginal students from nine schools across the Territory are benefiting from partnerships with city schools, thanks to a program designed to empower Aboriginal children through education.
The Yadha Muru (Good Path) Foundation City-Country Partnerships Program pairs regional and remote schools with high-performing city schools, such as Scotch College and the King's School.
Delegates from partnering schools met in Darwin for an inaugural symposium this week.
Attended by Minister for Education and Training Jo Hersey, the event brought together the 16 partnerships formed through the program, providing a platform for participating schools to share knowledge, experiences, and successes of their partnerships through engaging panels and workshops.
Minister Hersey said: "It was a fantastic opportunity to catch up with some of our amazing Principals across the Northern Territory and hear about their involvement in the program."
"I was particularly impressed with the partnership Katherine High School has with Warakirri College in Sydney, a special assistance independent school," she said.
"I look forward to seeing more Northern Territory schooling success stories and engaging with the Yadha Muru Foundation again in the future."
The Katherine High School and Warakirri College partnership caters to remote and urban Aboriginal students representing over thirty language groups.
Warakirri College will offer its expertise in teaching students with diverse needs, crisis intervention and navigating the NCCD (Nationally Consistent Collection of Data).
Yadha Muru Foundation Founder and CEO Sean Gordon said: "The inaugural Yadha Muru Foundation Symposium was a fantastic success, providing opportunities for the partnership schools to share their many achievements and to learn from each other."
"Although the partnerships are in their early days of development, we are already seeing improvements in student engagement and attendance," he said.
"Remote students are already seeing the value of engaging with city students to their mutual benefit."
Yadha Muru Foundation has developed partnerships with the following Northern Territory schools:
· Milingimbi School / Pymble Ladies' College (Sydney)
· Katherine High School / Warakirri College (Sydney)
· St Francis Xavier Catholic School / Carey Baptist Grammar School (Melbourne)
· Jabiru Area School / Caulfield Grammar School (Melbourne)
· Ti Tree School and Neutral Junction School / Meriden School (Sydney)
· Alekarenge School and Murray Downs School / Trinity Grammar School (Sydney)
· GEBIPCAC (Groote Eylandt) / The King's School (Sydney)
· Dhupuma Barker (Independent) / Barker College (Sydney)
· Nyangatjatjara College (Independent) / Immanuel College (Adelaide)
