ISA welcomes the announcement by the Minister for Indigenous Australians and the Minister for Regional Education, of additional funding for boarding schools in remote areas.
Independent Schools Australia (ISA) welcomes the announcement by the Minister for Indigenous Australians and the Minister for Regional Education, of additional funding for boarding schools in remote areas. The funding announced was part of last year’s Federal
Budget and is directed to forty boarding schools with a high proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in the most remote parts of Australia.
ISA Chief Executive Officer Ms Margery Evans said, “Boarding schools in remote Australia provide crucial support for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
“These boarding schools not only provide quality education and accommodation, but a range of other support for children who are away from their families and communities.”
“This funding will help boarding schools to provide programs and assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families.
Across Australia there are 15,395 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in the Independent sector of which 2,106 are boarders at 120 schools. In remote areas, there are 3,034 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Independent schools of which 475
are boarding students.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in remote areas have many disadvantages to overcome. This funding will go some way towards addressing this disadvantage. We hope to see this commitment renewed and extended to more schools in the upcoming Federal Budget.”
ISA is the peak body representing 1,187 Independent schools with 667,259 enrolled students.
ISA Media Contact: comms@isa.edu.au