Academies boost education for Indigenous girls

The Palaszczuk Government is supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, with $3.4 million committed to an innovative program that helps girls stay engaged in school.

Education Minister Grace Grace said the Girls Academy program focused on mentoring and wellbeing support, which would help pave the way to a brighter future.

“The Palaszczuk Government recognises the importance of supporting Indigenous students,” Ms Grace said.

“We have committed $3.4 million over three years to deliver the Girls Academy program in seven state high schools in the wider Maryborough and Bundaberg areas.”

Ms Grace said this included Bundaberg North, Bundaberg, Kepnock, Urangan, Hervey Bay, Maryborough and Aldridge State High Schools.

Member for Maryborough Bruce Saunders, attending a Girls Academy launch at Maryborough State High School today, said it was great to see students in the local community benefiting from this program.

“The Girls Academy program is open to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander female students from Year 7 to Year 12 enrolled at our participating schools,” he said.

“It aims to actively engage female Indigenous students through relationship-based, in-school mentoring and wellbeing support.

“This supportive environment helps to increase school attendance, retention rates and levels of attainment – meaning students learn and achieve more at school.”

Role Models and Leaders Australia (RMLA) is delivering the program which will benefit up to 453 female students each year over the next three years.

Ms Grace said that Queensland continued to make major gains in Year 12 completion rates and Queensland Certificate of Education or Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

“The department is also partnering with three other organisations — Netball Queensland, the Brisbane Broncos, and the Stars Foundation — to implement similar programs to target Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander female students,” she said. 

“Each year, these programs will help up to 1100 female Indigenous students in our Queensland state schools, providing them with the best possible start in their life journey.”

Ms Grace said Girls Academies had been operating in these Queensland high schools since the start of the 2018 school year.

Media contact: Emma Clarey 0439 578 472