NT education minister confirms Yipirinya School ‘under review’ due to ‘a number of complaints’

A ‘number of complaints’ have sparked a shock review into a NT School, as more detail into why the review is taking place emerges. Find out what we know.

Yipirinya School, Alice Springs. Picture: Alex Treacy

Update, 3pm: A “number of complaints” have sparked a review into an Alice Springs independent school, it can be revealed.

Responding to questions from this masthead, a spokesperson for NT education and training minister Jo Hersey said the registrar of non-government schools appointed an “independent assessor” to investigate Yipirinya School last year.

“In August 2024 a number of complaints were received about Yipirinya School that suggested non-compliance with some of its registration obligations as a non-government school under the Education Act 2015 (NT) and Non-Government School Registration Standards,” she said.

The registrar of non-government schools is part of the Department of Education, while Yipirinya is an independent non-government school.

This masthead understands Yipirinya School received the independent assessor’s report in December.

“The assessor’s December 2024 report made 26 recommendations to improve compliance with governance and finance, curriculum, and child safety and wellbeing standards,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson did not name who authored the report. They did not say if the report would be made public.

This masthead requested copies of the report from the minister’s office and the department of education, but a Department of Education and Training spokesperson said the review “is ongoing and in confidence” and the report would not be provided.

“The scope of the review was to assess the school’s compliance against the Non-Government School Registration Standards, with a report of recommendations provided to the department and the school,” they said.

“In December 2024, the Yipirinya School Council was briefed on the recommendations and the requirement to submit monthly reports over the next 12 months,” the spokesperson for Mrs Hersey’s office said.

“The first progress report was submitted to the Registrar of Non-Government Schools on 21 February 2025.

“The minister has been briefed on the report and is monitoring the situation.”

The Department of Education spokesperson said the progress reports had been submitted on time by the school “to date”.

“The Registrar is now working with the school, reviewing implementation of improvements through the process of regular progress reports to ensure compliance with the registration standards,” they said.

Yipirinya School was again contacted for comment about the report. This masthead has not received a reply.

‘Delving into the whole school’: Shock review into NT school

Initial, 10.48am: Yipirinya School is “under review,” the education minister says, with “a lot of delving into the whole school” happening and a report commissioned on “her watch”.

In parliament last week, education and training minister Jo Hersey confirmed the review into the one-of-a-kind independent school governed by an Aboriginal School Council was taking place after questioning from Gwoja MLA Chansey Paech.

Mr Paech sought confirmation around the review, asking if it was in relation to “to school attendance or financial and administrative arrangements”.

“Can you confirm the Department of Education recently reviewed Yipirinya School including its use of government funding and finances?” he asked.

Chansey Paech as protesters gathered in front of Parliament House on Wednesday to protest the potential lowering of the criminal age of responsibility in the NT. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Mrs Hersey said the department was “looking into it and doing that”, but a report from her department was yet to land on her desk.

“There is a lot of delving into the whole school,” she said.

“It is on my watch that I have asked for this report, we are trying to work with the school to fix this issue and it is ongoing.”

Mrs Hersey did not detail the scope of the review, nor did she give a date as to when it would be delivered.

She also would not confirm if the report would be tabled to parliament, after Mr Paech pressed her on the matter.

Only days after Mr Peach questioned Mrs Hersey on the review, Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour and federal Indigenous Australians minister Senator Malarndirri McCarthy in a joint statement revealed $6.3 million offered to Yipirinya School to build its long-sought on-ground boarding facility had been reallocated.

Yipirinya was offered the funding in October last year.

This publication contacted Yipirinya school asking why it did not take the money, but is yet to receive a reply.

Separately, the school’s former principal Gavin Morris stood down from his role as councillor on the Alice Springs Town Council on Tuesday.

Yipirinya School Principal Gavin Morris at Yipirinya School, Alice Springs, on June 28, 2024. Picture: Gera Kazakov

The former principal had long advocated for the $10 million on-site boarding facility during his time at the helm of the school.

Mr Morris is no longer employed at the school, but was the principal in August last year when he was charged with aggravated assault.

In court, Mr Morris has pleaded not guilty to the charges through his lawyer Luke Officer.

Mr Morris has since resigned from the school. There is no suggestion that Mr Morris’ departure and the review are connected.

An online job advert for the position of interim principal at the school is offering a salary ranging from $206,000 – $219,840 per annum plus super.

“We now have an exciting opportunity for an interim principal to lead our school through a critical 12-month period of transformation and governance rebuilding” the advert states.

Mrs Hersey told Mr Paech she would provide more information to him about the review “when I get it”.

Originally published as NT education minister confirms Yipirinya School ‘under review’ due to ‘a number of complaints’