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A new Partnership Agreement 'Walking Together Working Together 2020-2030' between the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and the Department of Education will replace the current Partnership Agreement. It will be signed by the President of the NSW AECG Cindy Berwick, Secretary for the Department of Education, Mark Scott and witnessed and signed by Sarah Mitchell, Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning.

The new Partnership Agreement is for all parents, caregivers, communities and schools across NSW and spans from early childhood through to post-school pathways. It recognises the NSW AECG as the peak advisory body for Aboriginal education in NSW.

It shows how the NSW AECG and the Department of Education will work together so every Aboriginal child and young person can achieve their potential through education. It highlights the importance of consultation with communities at the local level, acknowledging the AECG’s grassroots structure.

Parents, caregivers and communities can expect to see all Aboriginal children well-prepared for school by attending culturally safe preschools.

Schools will respect the identity, culture, heritage and languages of Aboriginal students and be welcoming and respectful places. Aboriginal languages will be taught across NSW from preschool to Year 12. The Partnership Agreement will be a foundation for the development of School Plans.

Aboriginal student’s achievements will be as good as or better than those of the general student population of NSW and underpin their success in higher education, further training or employment.

All students in NSW will understand the true history of the lands on which they live and respect and learn about the heritage and culture of the Aboriginal peoples from those lands.

Together we will have high aspirations for Aboriginal students and will work collaboratively with parents and caregivers to achieve these. All teaching and non-teaching staff will complete Aboriginal cultural awareness training, with refresher courses every three years, supported and/or delivered by the NSW AECG.

Panels established for the recruitment and selection processes in education will include a representative of the NSW AECG.

Aboriginal parents, caregivers, communities, students and staff across NSW had the opportunity to have their voices heard in the development of this new Partnership Agreement. By walking together and working together, the NSW Department of Education and the NSW AECG will strive towards delivering these outcomes during the life of this partnership and will report on the progress of this Partnership Agreement each year.

Go online to learn more about what we have agreed and the outcomes we want to achieve through the Partnership Agreement.