Yirara – A Bi-Cultural College

Extract

Yirara College is a secondary boarding school for tribal Aboriginal students from throughout Central Australia. The College is 8 kilometres from Alice Springs but takes students from 40 separate communities, in a radius of about 800 kilometres or more from Alice. This includes the southern two-thirds of the Northern Territory, and some communities in South Australia and Western Australia. The

College is entirely residential, and caters for male and female students. The curriculum, which follows Northern Territory Department guidelines, is aimed at adjusting students to reach Year 10 (the N.T. Junior School Certificate), and thereafter have the opportunity to enter various further education courses and colleges. Emphasis is also given to social education in its broadest sense, and vocational education. After leaving Yirara, the majority of students return to their own communities to fill positions of skill, where and when available.

“They can’t be educated”, say the critics. “Send them south to boarding school, beyond the influences of tribalism”, say the unsympathetic. “Why try to school the young while the unschooled elders negate their new-found skills?” say the liberals. “Education is disruptive and diminishes tribal authority”, say the ignorant.