Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration DECEMBER 2019 Mparntwe (pronounced M-ban tua) is the Arrernte name for Alice Springs. The Aboriginal Arrernte (pronounced arrunda) peoples are the traditional custodians of Alice Springs and the surrounding region. This Declaration is made by all Australian Education Ministers: Ms Yvette Berry MLA Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development (Australian Capital Territory) The Hon Dan Tehan MP Minister for Education (Australian Government) Chair, Ministerial Council on Education The Hon Sarah Mitchell MLC Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning (New South Wales) The Hon Selena Uibo MLA Minister for Education (Northern Territory) The Hon Grace Grace MP Minister for Education (Queensland) The Hon John Gardner MP Minister for Education (South Australia) The Hon Jeremy Rockliff MP Minister for Education and Training (Tasmania) The Hon James Merlino MP Minister for Education (Victoria) The Hon Suzanne Ellery MLC Minister for Education and Training (Western Australia) Contents Story Preamble 2 Ceremony, Karrinyarra by Nerine Tilmouth represents Water Dreaming (also called Kapi, The Education Goals for Young Australians 4 or Ngapa Tjukurrpa), from Karrinyarra and Central Mt Wedge, north of Goal 1: The Australian education system promotes Papunya in Central Australia. The circles excellence and equity 5 represent water holes, and this site is Goal 2: All young Australians become confident and strongly associated with rain making creative individuals, successful lifelong learners, ceremonies. Karrinyarra represents an and active and informed members of the community 6 important cultural point of intersection, where people come together to share in access to the resources, and to take A Commitment to Action 9 responsibility for the Country and its Law. Developing stronger partnerships 10 Artist information Supporting quality teaching and leadership 11 Nerine Tilmouth is a young artist who Strengthening early childhood education 12 lives in Alice Springs. She studied at Yipirinya Aboriginal Independent School, Building foundational skills through Alice Springs High School and later at the primary school years 13 Centralian College. Surrounded by artists Enhancing middle years development 13 all her life, Nerine holds Karrinyarra as her country through both her mother Supporting senior years of schooling 14 and her father. Embedding pathways for learning throughout life and supporting effective transitions 14 Artwork credit Delivering world-class curriculum and assessment 15 Artist: Nerine Tilmouth, Ceremony, Karrinyarra, 2018, Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander courtesy of Tangentyere Artists. learners to reach their potential 16 © Nerine Tilmouth/Copyright Agency, 2019 Supporting all young Australians at risk of educational disadvantage 17 Strengthening accountability and transparency with strong meaningful measures 18 Achieving the Educational Goals for Young Australians 20 Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration 1 Preamble Young Australians are at the centre of the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration. Education has the power to Our vision is for a world class thrive in a time of rapid social transform lives. It supports young education system that encourages and technological change, and people to realise their potential and supports every student to complex environmental, social and by providing skills they need to be the very best they can be, economic challenges. Education participate in the economy and no matter where they live or plays a vital role in promoting in society, and contributing to what kind of learning challenges the intellectual, physical, social, every aspect of their wellbeing. they may face. emotional, moral, spiritual and aesthetic development and This Declaration sets out our This begins with making sure wellbeing of young Australians, vision for education in Australia that every young child has the and in ensuring the nation’s and our commitment to opportunity to benefit from ongoing economic prosperity improving educational outcomes structured play-based learning and social cohesion. They need to for young Australians. before they start school, deal with information abundance, because this helps build the It builds on past declarations and navigate questions of trust social, emotional and cognitive signed in Hobart, Adelaide and and authenticity. They need skills they need to succeed in Melbourne, which have guided flexibility, resilience, creativity, the years to come. our journey over three decades. and the ability and drive to keep In developing this Declaration, To achieve excellence, and for on learning throughout their lives. we have heard from young our system to be equitable, As the importance of a high people, parents, educators and every student must develop quality education grows, so does the broader community and strong literacy and numeracy the complexity of being an listened to what is important to skills in their earliest years of educator. We entrust Australia’s them. They have told us that the schooling, and go on to develop educators and education leaders Melbourne Declaration has stood broad and deep knowledge with delivering the goals in this the test of time, so in developing across a range of curriculum areas. Declaration, and educators in this new Declaration, we have However, our education system particular need to be supported sought to further build on and must do more than this – it must appropriately as they play their update it to meet the needs of also prepare young people to part but they cannot do this alone. today’s young Australians. 2 Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration Learning is a partnership with parents, carers and others in the community, all of whom have a role to play in nurturing the love of learning needed for success at school and in life. We recognise the more than 60,000 years of continual connection by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as a key part of the nation’s history, present and future. Through education, we are committed to ensuring that all students learn about the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to seeing all young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples thrive in their education and all facets of life. As Australia’s education ministers we are proud custodians of Australia’s education system. Our challenge is to turn the aspirations set out in this document into actions – a task that we are committed to achieving. Our best efforts will translate into opportunities for every young Australian. We will ensure that we place young Australians at the centre of our education system as they navigate their learning and set out on their own journey. Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration 3 The Education Goals for Young Australians Improving educational outcomes for all young Australians is central to the nation’s social and economic prosperity and will position young people to live fulfilling, productive and responsible lives. The Declaration has two distinct but interconnected goals: Goal 1: The Australian education system promotes excellence and equity Goal 2: All young Australians become: y confident and creative individuals y successful lifelong learners y active and informed members of the community. Achieving these education goals is the responsibility of Australian Governments and the education community in partnership with young Australians, their families and carers and the broader community. 4 Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration Goal 1: The Australian Australian Governments commit y ensure that education education system to promoting excellence and promotes and contributes equity in Australian education. to a socially cohesive society promotes excellence that values, respects and This means that all Australian and equity appreciates different points Governments will work with of view and cultural, social, the education community to: linguistic and religious diversity y provide all young Australians y ensure that learning is with access to high-quality built on and includes local, education that is inclusive regional and national cultural and free from any form of knowledge and experience of discrimination Aboriginal and Torres Strait y recognise the individual Islander peoples and work needs of all young Australians, in partnership with local identify barriers that can be communities addressed, and empower y collaborate internationally to learners to overcome barriers share best practice and help y promote personalised learning young Australians learn about and provide support that aims to and engage with the world fulfil the individual capabilities y support all education and needs of learners sectors – government and y ensure that young Australians non-government, secular of all backgrounds are and faith-based supported to achieve their y promote a culture of excellence full educational potential in all learning environments, y encourage young people to by providing varied, hold high expectations for challenging, and stimulating their educational outcomes, learning experiences and supported by parents, carers, opportunities that enable all families and the broader learners to explore and build community on their individual abilities, interests, and experiences y ensure that Australia’s education system is recognised internationally for delivering high quality learning outcomes. Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration 5 Goal 2: All young Australian Governments