Measure 3: Enhancing Education
3.1 Additional Classrooms
Due to lack of staff, including non-teaching staff, all classrooms currently available are not utilized.
3.2 Accelerated Literacy Program
See comments under 1.4. Without prolonged attendance at the one school and inadequate levels of staffing it is difficult to see how this will provide benefit.
3.3 School Nutrition Program
Prior to the NTER the Red Cross facilitated a breakfast program which was run by the local Indigenous women as they perceived the need. For example they explained that the day after government benefits were received, everyone should have enough money and a breakfast should be provided by parents. However 3 to 4 days after the government benefit came in money would be running low and children did need a breakfast. The women ran this program prior to the NTER and had a sense of ownership. It was a source of pride and self-esteem for these women and a safety blanket for families who knew their children could access it. I understand that the women received a commendation from the Red Cross Co-coordinator for their efforts. Unfortunately the Government Business Manager apparently visited the breakfast program one morning and put in a report about it that upset the women. They felt betrayed and a loss of self-esteem. The program has been very ad hoc since then.
Under the NTER a lunch program has been put in place with meals provided by the local takeaway store. The teacher says this requires him to keep advising the store during the course of the morning which children are at school and thus need lunch’s, as children turn up and run away during the course of the day. It has added an extra administrative burden upon the teachers. The teacher says that he had strategies in place prior to the NTER to maintain school attendance. It is doubtful whether the lunch program makes any difference to school attendance and I question who has to collect the meals and clean up the litter from this extra service. I would also point out that outside agencies to supplying these meals is taking away from parents a sense of responsibility to provide for their children. This is in a community that does not have high levels of “skinny” kids but rather is struggled with primary school children and older in the over weight and obese bracket.
3.4 Volunteer Teacher Initiative
3.5 Quality Teaching Package