Six Curtin graduates are set to have a significant impact in their local communities, after being the first group to complete the University’s On Country Education Teaching Initiative.
Funded by the Western Australian Department of Education and beginning in 2020, the program was established to support Indigenous staff working in classroom support roles in regional and remote areas to complete the necessary degree to become qualified primary school teachers.
Most importantly, this innovative program was delivered primarily online, allowing students to study part-time while continuing to work and remain living in their communities.
The partnership between the Department of Education and Curtin University also included the establishment of a working group in addition to ongoing support from school staff who were committed to the success of the initiative.
Curtin Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne congratulated the graduating cohort and said the group should be especially proud of completing their degrees.
“We know Indigenous students in regional and remote areas who want to undertake university study can face unique challenges, so Curtin’s School of Education developed innovative ways to address some of these challenges,” Professor Hayne said.
“I’m sure these graduates will make a significant positive impact in their classrooms and communities, and on future generations thanks to their hard work and dedication to their studies.”
The On Country graduates completed all units of the four-year Bachelor of Education (Primary Education) together, with classes delivered online in trimesters to facilitate students being able to continue living and working on Country.
Students were invited to attend on-campus workshops at the beginning of each trimester to be introduced to staff and new units of study.
Students were allocated specialist support staff throughout their studies to assist with course enquiries and help refer students to a variety of University support services.
University staff also visited students On Country to provide face-to-face academic support.
Students could complete their practical placements in their workplaces, unit materials were adapted to include culturally appropriate examples and the delivery of the course was modelled on the 8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning framework.
Project Lead Associate Professor Graeme Gower said the program addressed a major gap in the workforce.
“Only 2 per cent of teachers in Australia are Indigenous — which drops to just 1.2 per cent in WA — so we have a real scope and need for more Indigenous voices to lead our classrooms,” Associate Professor Gower said.
“The On Country Teacher Education program is unique in so many ways and has been acknowledged nationally and internationally as an exemplary culturally appropriate model to support Indigenous persons wanting to become teachers.”
Education Minister Dr Tony Buti congratulated the six graduates, who are the first group to complete the On Country Education Teaching Initiative.
“This in an incredibly important initiative to help increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers in Western Australian schools,” Dr Buti said.
“I’m pleased these six graduates can now further inspire Aboriginal students in the classroom and help to make a difference in their lives so they can thrive academically and socially.”
