Vic govt scraps Aboriginal schools
Posted
The Victorian Government will scrap its schools for Aboriginal students, and replace them with schools targetting younger teenagers.
The schools, known as KODE schools, at Mildura, Swan Hill, Morwell and Glenroy were put on notice last year that the education minister was not satisfied with their literacy and numeracy achievements.
The Prep to Year 10 schools are now being replaced with Koori Pathways Schools for students in Years 7 to 10.
The Government says the new schools will focus on Koori culture to engage students and give students extra help in literacy and numeracy.
The new schools will begin next year on the KODE campuses.
Primary-aged children currently at the KODE schools will be given help to make the change to mainstream schools.
The acting principal of Swan Hill's KODE campus, John Brookshaw has blasted the move.
He said the Government's plan fails to recognise the schools cater for students who have already been unable to cope in the mainstream sector.
"None of us were really consulted at a base level and say look what's the solution," he said.
"Not one of us has been asked what do you propose as the solution and that I think is the key issue. They've got to talk to the people who know."
