SA Labor pledges $4 million boost to community language schools

The Malinauskas Labor Government has pledged $4 cardinal successful backing for South Australia’s assemblage connection schools if re-elected adjacent year, reaffirming its support for preserving culture, practice and bilingual education.

The four-year commitment, announced connected Tuesday, would proceed Labor’s erstwhile concern successful the sector, which began successful '22 and marked the largest single backing bundle successful Multicultural Affairs astatine the time.

Community connection schools, which run aft hours and are unfastened to students of each taste backgrounds, play a vital relation successful teaching practice languages and fostering taste awareness. There are presently 93 accredited schools successful South Australia, teaching 48 languages to much than 9,000 students.

Under the caller $4 cardinal package, backing would support big schoolhouse premises successful some authorities and non-government sectors, strengthen Community Language Learning Hubs catering to 950 students crossed 16 languages, supply pathways for elder secondary connection study, and put successful training and support for assemblage schoolhouse leaders.

Minister for Multicultural Affairs Zoe Bettison described the schools arsenic “a vital plus to our community.”

“Nearly 25 per cent of South Australians speak a connection different than English astatine home, up from 15 per cent two decades ago,” she said. “Young radical should beryllium arrogant of their individuality and turn up respecting the differences betwixt us, arsenic well arsenic the galore values we share.”

Bettison said the programme offered much than conscionable connection learning, highlighting its relation successful gathering empathy, taste consciousness and aboriginal leadership.

“Multilingual young radical are aboriginal leaders not conscionable of their ain communities, but of Australian businesses, governments and society,” she said.

The authorities will proceed to work intimately with Community Language Schools SA (CLSSA) to present the funding, which it says will guarantee thousands of students tin entree prime connection acquisition while staying connected to their heritage.