Applications are open for grants from the Commonwealth's Central Australia Boarding Response Fund to increase access to quality education for students from remote Northern Territory communities.
Boarding providers are invited to apply for funding for capital works projects in Central Australia to improve existing boarding facilities - and build new ones - to create additional places for First Nations young people who need to study away from home.
The $18 million Fund was established to fund capital works projects over two years. Up to $10 million per project is available for projects that provide education opportunities for Indigenous secondary school aged students. It comes after the assessment of boarding capacity and options in Central Australia announced last October by the Australian and Northern Territory governments.
In a statement on Thursday the federal government noted that boarding "continues to be an important education pathway" for First Nations students from remote areas.
Indigenous affairs minister Linda Burney said "Access to schools and education changes lives for young people".
"In Central Australia we are changing lives by investing in better boarding schools to help close the gap," she said.
"Better quality boarding facilities with more places available will remove a barrier to education for First Nations young people in Central Australia who often don't have secondary schools located close to home.
"Investing in these facilities will give more First Nations young people from Central Australia the opportunity to complete their secondary education and achieve their full potential."
The federal government noted the importance of choice for families and communities in supporting children through their education and for options, where possible, to remain within their home communities, on-Country, or nearby.
Improved education outcomes for youth in Central Australian remote communities would play a role in hitting Closing the Gap targets by helping to increase the proportion of Indigenous youth engaged in education and attaining year 12, leading to greater employment and training opportunities.
Federal education minister Jason Clare said the investment in boarding facilities in Central Australia is about supporting school students in remote Northern Territory communities.
"This funding can go towards improving existing facilities and building new facilities. This builds on the $40 million investment the Albanese government is making in Central Australian schools and the historic deal struck with the Northern Territory to double Commonwealth investment and fully fund all public schools in the NT," he said.
The Central Australia Boarding Response Fund grant opportunity is open until 9 August 2024.
More information about the Central Australia Boarding Response Fund grant round, including the Grant Opportunity Guidelines and application details, is available online.
