Indigenous scholarship provider MADALAH will continue to provide secondary education opportunities for young Indigenous students from regional and remote Western Australia, following the extension of a federal government First Nations scholarships program.
The program will see an additional $45 million investment enable MADALAH - one of nine existing Indigenous scholarship providers - continue to deliver successful education programs, initiatives which currently support more than 2,200 Indigenous high school students who predominantly reside in non-urban areas where access to secondary school is limited.
MADALAH chief executive Laura Kirby said the federal government's ongoing support facilitates "life changing" scholarship opportunities for Indigenous youth throughout Western Australia.
"Together, we will continue to ensure equal access to education, supporting young Indigenous students from predominantly remote and regional Western Australia to gain access to a high-quality education here in Perth," Ms Kirby said.
"This commitment will see us help shape the lives of young people over the next two years.
"At MADALAH we provide a holistic wraparound structure to ensure our students' connection to culture remains strong whilst they are schooling away from their Country, family and communities.
"We empower our young people to achieve excellence in life through education and we are very grateful to the federal government for this continued investment. We look forward to continuing our support and welcoming new students into the MADALAH family in 2025."
To deliver the scholarships, the nine current Indigenous scholarship providers partner with a variety of government and non-government, day and boarding schools in remote, regional and metropolitan locations across Australia, with the program assisting students to overcoming challenges that might otherwise prevent them from completing high school and transitioning to tertiary education and future careers.
The federal government said the scholarships provide critical support to First Nations students and their families by removing financial barriers to quality education.
Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, said the program ensures Indigenous youth in regional, rural and remote areas of Australia have access to equitable education opportunities, setting young First Nations people up for future success.
"This funding is about more than just education - it's about empowering the next generation of First Nations leaders and change-makers," Senator McCarthy said.
"These scholarship programs are essential in ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students not only succeed but excel.
"We're providing the support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students need to keep engaged in education, dream big and achieve their full potential."
