Two boarding providers in Central Australia have been allocated funding by the federal government to support First Nations students.
As part of the government's $18 million Central Australia Boarding Response Fund, $6.3 million has been allocated to the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education and the Alice Springs Youth Accommodation & Support Services (ASYASS).
"This investment will provide more opportunities for First Nations young people in Central Australia to access quality education in a culturally supportive environment, increasing participation and retention," Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, said.
"Boarding is the only option for many First Nations students in Central Australia to engage in formal education."
$5.1 million has been offered towards the construction of the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education's new "culturally safe and supported accommodation centre" in the Desert Knowledge Precinct of Alice Springs.
It will help increase the participation and retention of secondary students, the government says, as well as allow them to complete Year 12 and equivalent qualifications and other Vocational Education and Training courses.
The Batchelor Institute's acting chief executive, Renee Long, said the funding marked a "transformative step" for the institute and its students from remote communities.
"For years, we've worked to create a culturally safe space for learning, and this new accommodation at our Alice Springs campus will ensure students can focus on their education without the challenges of unsuitable accommodation," Ms Long said.
Thanking the government for "recognising the unique needs of our students," she said the funding would support the Institute's mission to "empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through education, fostering self-determination and strengthening communities across the Northern Territory".
ASYASS has been offered $1.2 million to construct new accommodation facilities for pregnant young women, as well as young mothers and their children experiencing homelessness and family violence. It will allow both expectancy and young mothers to remain engaged in secondary education whilst in culturally safe accommodation.
"The project will empower young Aboriginal mothers and their children to establish routines, seek support and re-engage with educational services," ASYASS chief executive Ojisi Charlie said.
"ASYASS will support young mothers to access education services including re-engagement with school, employment and childcare, and link young people to appropriate services that will upskill them and provide them with opportunities in Alice Springs and Central Australia."
The announcements come after $10 million was provided to Yirara College and $1.7 million to St Philip's College in Alice Springs last year to help upgrade their existing boarding facilities.
Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour said boarding facilities are the "gateway to a quality education for many Aboriginal students living in remote communities" across the electorate.
"Every child has a right to a quality education, regardless of where they live," she said.
