Indigenous students left in the lurch by sinking boarding schools

Remote boarding schools say Indigenous student enrolments need sustained government funding if educators are to stay afloat.

Students at Yirara College, which is at risk of ceasing boarding enrolments after federal funding cuts.

Boarding schools educating ­Indigenous children face potential closures, bringing the independent school industry to blows with the Albanese government.

In 2023, the federal budget allocated $21.6m to the National ­Indigenous Australians Agency’s Indigenous Boarding Providers Grant program, a schooling service that bankrolls the education and board of 2335 Indigenous students. Intended to cover the whole of 2024, the funding has since been exhausted. The grants program was discontinued in the 2024-25 budget.

It leaves up to 15 schools across regional Australia without funding certainty and facing the prospect of either an untimely closure or a freeze on new enrolments.

Education Minister Jason Clare. Picture: Tim Hunter

Yirara College principal ­Wesley Meurant said a loss of funding would leave Indigenous communities behind.

“Yirara is working hand-in-hand with the remote communities of the Northern Territory to see their young people empowered to lead into the future,” the Alice Springs educator said.

“Without Yirara, this story will not happen.”

Principal Brendan Franzone of Wongutha Christian Aboriginal School in Western Australia said it would have to cover boarding costs from its own budget if new funding was not allocated, threatening the quality of education.

“We currently have 60 Indigenous boarders onsite and any loss of funding would mean the school would have to significantly supplement the boarding budget again,” he said.

Independent Schools Australia argues the federal government has an obligation to provide sustained funding to Indigenous boarding schools.

Independent Schools Australia chief executive Graham Catt.

ISA chief executive Graham Catt called the funding shortfall “critical setback in closing the education gap”.

A spokesperson for Education Minister Jason Clare said Mr Clare had met with ISA on the issue. “The government will consider the findings of the First Nations Boarding Design Review and respond as soon as possible,” they said.