NITV news reported from Buunji, the National Indigenous Education Conference in early November.
Organiser Lillian Gordan says they are promoting Indigenous identity, Indigenous diversity and Indigenous sustainability and an improved delivery of education in a way that won’t interfere with traditional culture.
It’s about bringing everybody together. Buunji is a Wiradjuri word meaning ‘to share,’ that everyone is coming together pretty much from all across the nation, what they’ve done and what they’ve seen and what their hopes are into the future for Aboriginal education.
Alison Johnstone from the NSW Department of Education says:
My core role is curriculum so it’s imperative that I support principals and teachers in implementing Aboriginal perspectives into their curriculum, into their syllabus, and also supporting them in getting that access to the information and materials and sort of supporting and guiding them…
I went through a real, ‘Oh why aren’t they doing it’ but sometimes you’ve got to support them to find the information, and through curriculum and through education I believe that’s the only way we can re-tell history through our eyes, the true history of our country through our eyes because for too long it’s been suppressed.
Newly elected Senator of the Northern Territory, Nova Peris said:
I came here today as a person who’s always been an advocate for education, especially Indigenous education, and being the new Senator for the Northern Territory we’ve had significant cuts from the Northern Territory government, more than 120 teacher cuts from across the Northern Territory.
When you look at the COAG report that’s come out , you know Indigenous education is going backwards, teacher cuts, not providing resources and not moving forward with innovative programs which include culture and reflection of Australia’s true history, and these are the things we can’t ignore.
NITV Via SBS News.
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