The West Arnhem community of Gunbalanya was the focus of national and international media attention in January as the Federal Government rolled out a new program to combat truancy.
West Arnhem Regional Council (WARC) Mayor Lothar Siebert said the Council would give the Government all the assistance it needs to help make its new school attendance program a success.
“If they believe this program will bring results, then we will support them in that, but we will be looking for on-the-ground results in two or three months’ time, not just on day one.”
Attendance officers have begun work in Gunbalanya, tasked with improving student attendance rates under the Federal Government’s Remote School Attendance Strategy. Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion said the Gunbalanya trial would inform the rollout of the $28.4 million program in remote communities across the Northern Territory, Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.
The officers started work with students from the West Arnhem College Gunbalanya Campus on January 7. Mr Scullion said the program, which runs over two years, would cover more than 40 schools, with one school attendance officer employed for every 20 students.
Mayor Siebert expressed concerns about the strategy in a meeting with Mr Scullion at the WARC Gunbalanya office on January 7.
“There is a need for a whole-of-community approach to truancy, and we as the Regional Council are committed to playing our part.”
Mayor Siebert said WARC currently runs diversionary youth programs at the Gunbalanya Youth Centre aimed at keeping school-aged children actively involved and engaged in healthy activities outside school hours.
“We thank Minister Scullion for his commitment to provide West Arnhem Regional Council (WARC) with $1.25 million in funding, some of which will provide continuing support of our youth programs, as well as for ongoing roadworks.”
The Australian Government has approved a $250,000 WARC funding application under the Aboriginal Benefits Account to upgrade and modify existing space in Gunbalanya to help assist and accommodate youth leadership groups and other activities.
Jobfind have appointed two School Supervisors in Gunbalanya to assist and mentor the School Attendance Officers. Jobfind Remote Jobs and Remote Jobs and Communities Program (RJCP) Regional Manager Catherine Ritchie said attendance officers visit houses each morning to ensure the children get to school and engage in after-school activities and mentoring to build attendance.
She said the School Supervisors would gain valuable skills, training and, in many cases, employment within the schools in future.
“I am very proud of the efforts made by the Jobfind RJCP team, given that we had a short lead time to meet with the school and our RJCP participants to put plans in place for the program.
“The team worked tirelessly over the Christmas and New Year holidays to ensure deadlines were met and the program launch was a success.
“We are keenly aware of the enormity of the task at hand and are signed up to do whatever it takes to ensure that children continue to attend school in the future to gain much needed education.”
Gunbalanya School Principal Sue Trimble said she was pleased at the unprecedented student turn out for the first week of the program. The average daily student attendance of 235 over the past week is in contrast to the average daily student attendance of 131 over the past year.
