The Nawarddeken Academy’s successful registration for new Kunmayali School
In August of last year, the Nawarddeken Academy submitted an application to the Northern Territory Government for the registration of a secondary school. Prior to this, 21 students in the Mamardawerre and Manmoyi communities had no option to undertake year 11 and 12 subjects, meaning they were unable to sit exams to graduate high school or receive an NT Certificate of Education and Training (NTCET).
The Nawarddeken Academy was notified in January this year, that they were successful in their registration of the Kunmayali (Knowledge) school that will now be funded by the Federal government in perpetuity. The successful outcome of this application came just in time for the beginning of Term 1, meaning senior students are now able to receive formalised secondary education and graduate on Country. This means that for all school aged students in the Warddeken IPA they can attend the Nawarddeken Academy from early childhood, all the way through to year 12.
The next six months will involve the development and delivery of a new bi-cultural curriculum for the Kunmayali School with the assistance of Traditional Owners and Elders. So far, NAL has identified relevant curriculums for students to enroll in, which include:
Conservation and ecosystem management
School-based education support
Early childhood education and care
Hospitality
Workplace skills
Aerial view of Nawarddeken Academy
It’s extremely important that schools in the NT receive funding for education for all school aged children to learn on Country. Not only does this support and resource the local community by providing more skilled populations, it also encourages community empowerment through improved socio-economic development and enhances student retention so students are better prepared for future opportunities.
This is a wonderful outcome when you consider that just over a decade ago, full time education was unavailable anywhere in the Warddeken IPA.
Nawarddeken Academy Early Learning Infrastructure - Kabulwarnamyo
Related posts
Protecting and Preserving
Bim (Rock Art)
There are estimated to be more than 30,000 rock art sites across the Warddeken IPA, painted in a style unique to the region and using materials sourced from the land. Today, the Nawarddeken people remain the original archaeologists of this art and the archivists of the living knowledge connected to it.
Painting with Fire
In May 2023, The Conversation published an article detailing how northern Australia developed one of the world’s best bushfire management programs.
Native biodiversity
monitoring in Warddeken
Learn more about the efforts of the Warddeken Rangers to bring mayh (animals) back to the stone country.
