News

New education partnership in Swan Hill

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:03:00

A partnership between the Mildura Aboriginal Corporation and the Loddon Mallee Preschool Association will secure the future of a Swan Hill preschool and create training opportunities for older students.

The agreement will allow Kunawaa Preschool to operate its kindergarten program and provide training opportunities for Koori students in years 11 and 12.
The LMPA’s Sandra Houlahan said the agreement was a positive outcome for all parties.
“MAC needs to make sure its buildings are utilised for the community and in this way we support each other. We are all really pleased there’s been such a constructive result,” Ms Houlahan said.
“Kindergartens run on such a tight budget they just don’t have money for rent, so any costs would have flowed on to families. 
“In some cases that would make the difference between a child attending kinder and not – this way is a win-win,” Ms Houlahan said.
The Kunawaa Preschool was originally opened by the Swan Hill Aboriginal Service as a childcare centre, and later became established as a kindergarten. 
“We’re really pleased this partnership will allow Kunawaa to continue the service that it’s always provided – a really fantastic introduction into formal education for three and four-year-olds,” Ms Houlahan said.
“But it will also allow wider benefits by providing a pathway for Koori young people who are interested in a career in children’s services right up to the tertiary Bachelor level, if that is where they want to go,” she said.
The Mildura Aboriginal Corporation’s chief executive Rudolph Kirby said he was pleased the partnership would formalise a relationship between Kunawaa and the Swan Hill Aboriginal Service.
“The really pleasing thing is that the preschool association is prepared to take on an indigenous trainee who is showing an interest in a career in the Early Years area as part of their school program,” Mr Kirby said.
“It will provide mentoring and coaching for at least one indigenous person, and possibly more, to get their Certificate Three qualifications, then possibly further to the Diploma of Children’s Services and the Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching level.”
Ms Houlahan said it was another welcome step forward in cementing the place of Koori culture in local preschools.
“About 20 percent of the children at Kunawaa identify as indigenous, and all our other district preschools have Koori children as well,” she said.
“We have indigenous culture as part of the program at all our kindergartens – that’s reflected in the songs we sing, the stories the children hear and the games they play.
“It’s all part of a play-based program that is so important to a child’s development – a good kindergarten program allows children to develop a whole range of the building blocks to early maths and literacy skills without them even realising it.
“Part of that success is a program that is relevant and culturally-appropriate for all our children.
“It’s really exciting to be working together on doing that even more successfully, and I can see many positive ways we can extend that in future,” Ms Houlahan said.