Yipirinya School in Alice Springs proves bilingual Aboriginal education can thrive

A one-of-a-kind school in Australia’s Red Centre is proving that Aboriginal and western education can co-exist and offer solutions to challenges that have thrust the regional town into the national spotlight.

An Alice Springs school is proving Aboriginal and western education can not only co-exist, but offer solutions to challenges that have thrust the regional town into the national spotlight.

Yipirinya School in Alice Springs is the only school in Australia to teach in four Indigenous languages, as well as English.

The community-controlled school was established more than four decades ago by local town camp Elders, today boasting more than 300 students.

Central Arrernte teacher and Elder Joyce Palmer has been involved in the school for most of that time, with her daughter and former student Sherry Lowah now working alongside her as a liaison coordinator.

Central Arrernte teacher and Elder Joyce Palmer said students can relate to their teachers at Yipirinya School. Picture: Annabel Bowles

“The kids love coming here every day. They feel at ease,” Ms Palmer said.

“All of the kids that come here, they all speak language.

“We got four languages here - Central Arrernte, Western Arrernte, Luritja and Walpiri.

“It’s very important to keep our language and culture strong.

Yipirinya School in Alice Springs is an independent school founded by town camp elders, which teaches in four local languages as well as English. Picture: Annabel Bowles

“They can relate to the Aboriginal teachers and language teachers.”

Another example of Yipirinya School’s unique approach to education is its ‘Happy Heart Hub’, which offers students traditional Aboriginal healers ‘ngangkari’, play therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists.

Kymani, Rekina, Tameeka, Jenna and Shelaya at Yipirinya School in Alice Springs. Picture: Annabel Bowles

The primary to Year 10 students also regularly spend time on country, while the school’s swiming pool and basketball court get plenty of use under the hot Red Centre sun.

Principal Gavin Morris said the school broke enrolment and attendance records at the start of the school year, with Yipirinya’s Sunset School in the town centre keeping up engagement over the summer break.

He said the distances some of the students travelled each morning was a testament to their love for the school.

Yipirinya School buses travel to 17 town camps and outstations north of Alice Springs. Picture: Annabel Bowles

“Our buses do 7500km a week and we pick up the kids from around the 17 town camps and further outstations, particularly to the north,” Mr Morris said.

“I remember picking up one of our eight-year-old girls one morning, who was waiting there at 6.45am in about -5 degrees.

“She was on the bus for two and a half hours before she came to school.”

Yipirinya School principal Gavin Morris is also an Alice Springs Town councillor. Picture: Supplied

Mr Morris, who was also elected as an Alice Springs Town councillor in November, says 68 of the school’s 105 staff are Aboriginal.

“We’re blending the two world systems together, two knowledge systems together to come up with a unique way to help our students stay in classrooms longer to be more engaged with learning,” he said.

“The school’s vision is and always has been about setting up a two-way school for Aboriginal town camp kids in a way that gets these kids to be leaders of Alice Springs in the future.”

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