Education outcomes for Indigenous children in the Northern Territory are totally unacceptable and urgent action is required. Both governments are working in partnership to close the gap on Indigenous disadvantage in education.
Smarter Schools National Partnerships: Low Socio Economic Status (SES) School Communities, Literacy and Numeracy and Improving Teacher Quality: The National Partnerships between the Australian Government and State/TerritoryGovernments are strongly focused on improving outcomes for students who are currently falling behind—in particular Indigenous students—and on targeting resources to the schools that need them most. There is a particular emphasis on achieving sustainable improvements in the fundamental skills of literacy and numeracy.
The Australian and Northern Territory Governments are working together to develop implementation plans to guide the Northern Territory’s delivery of improved outcomes in each of the National Partnerships.
NTER Enhancing Education Measure: The Australian Government is continuing its commitment to addressing the poor education outcomes of Indigenous students in remote communities in the Northern Territory. This measure will provide an additional $23.0 million for the Quality Teaching Package and $22.7 million for the AcceleratingLiteracy Initiative.
This measure supports the Australian Government’s commitment to close the gap on Indigenous educational disadvantage.
Under the Building the Education Revolution program the Australian Government is funding infrastructure projects at all of Australia's primary and secondary schools, including for libraries, multi-purpose halls and covered outdoor learning areas, new classrooms or the replacement of demountables, and the refurbishment of existing facilities. The Northern Territory will receive $196.6 million over three years, of which at least $7.0 million will specifically be used for new classrooms in NTER communities.
To help attract and retain teachers, the Australian Government is providing a further $11.2 million in 2009-10 for the construction of up to 22 additional houses for teachers in the remote NTER communities. This is in addition to the ten teacher houses that will be built in Wadeye, announced by the Australian Government in October 2008.
$37.5 million over three years for the School Nutrition Program will enable schools in NTER communities to continue breakfast and lunch programs.
Election Commitments: The Australian Government is contributing $28.9 million to the construction and operation of three new boarding facilities in the NorthernTerritory for Indigenous secondary students. Under this measure a total of 152 beds will accommodate students from years 8-12, enabling Indigenous youth from remote communities to access a quality secondary school education within or close to their home communities.
The Australian Government has also committed $98.8 million over five years to provide an additional 200 teachers to work in remote community schools in the Northern Territory. To date around 50 teachers have been recruited and deployed in Northern Territory Government and Catholic schools.