Federal funding of $7.5 million has been provided for a new project, the More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teachers project, that will investigate the best ways to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers in Australian schools.

 

The research will be conducted by the David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education, at the University of South Australia, led by Professor Peter Buckskin. Scholarships will also be offered under the scheme.

 

The project is one of three worth a total of $9.5 million and announced as part of NAIDOC Week.

 

Other projects to be funded include:

  • $1.8 million to develop best practice guidelines in teaching of Indigenous students, under the National Professional Standards for Teachers. The funding will help develop course components in university teaching courses, focusing on teaching of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and perspectives in teaching materials. It will also help develop materials for current teachers to help them meet the Indigenous standards in the National Professional Standards. It will be run by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership.

  • $200 000 for the extension of the Tri-Border Attendance Strategy, which aims to increase school attendance rates among children from the communities in the Western Australia, South Australia and Northern Territory border country. This project helps schools in the tri-border area share information on enrolment and attendance details, meaning they are better able to track the school attendance of students who live in highly mobile communities and who move frequently between WA, SA and NT. The funding extends the project until the end of this year.