An Aboriginal College for a return to Country: Designing a school that prepares children to live in two worlds and the space between

Authors

  • Colin Baker University of New England

Keywords:

Aboriginal education

Abstract

At a Community Planning Workshop at Banka Banka 14-18th July 2012 some seventy Kunapa  families decided that it was unrealistic to plan  to move back on to country unless education could be guaranteed that would ensure the continuance of their language and culture and be deliverable in a Warumungu context. They articulated a vision of a school that makes a successful return to county possible by delivering the education required by the Australian Curriculum in a Kunapa context and in a way which produces individuals who can be successful in two worlds and in the space between them. The vision is of a network centric, full service residentially based school  that makes it possible for Kunapa children to receive a mainstream Australian Curriculum based education on their own lands that prepares them to be successful in the world of their own Culture, Language and Economy and in the world of the wider Culture, Language and Economy of Australia. This paper chronicles the endeavours of a consultant to create the plans that will allow the families to seek registration for a school that will realise their vision.

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Published

2016-06-29

Issue

Section

General Refereed Papers