Close to $700,000 in funding has been provided to 46 community language schools through the McGowan Government’s annual Community Languages Program grants.
Community language schools are not-for-profit, community based organisations that operate out of school hours and teach languages other than English for students from kindergarten through to year 12.
The schools have been awarded per capita grants of $112 per student and an additional $112 was awarded for each student enrolled in Western Australian Certificate of Education language courses.
A further six community language schools were awarded New Schools grants of $4,000 per school.
The community language schools supported by the program are located throughout metropolitan and regional areas and teach a total of 32 languages.
Funding is awarded through the Office of Multicultural Interests (OMI), which provides support to not-for-profit organisations to teach languages and cultural maintenance programs after school hours.
A full list of the schools is available at https://www.omi.wa.gov.au
As part of OMI’s Community Languages Program, $300,000 over three years has also been provided to the Italian Language In-School Insertion Program.
The program is run by the Italo-Australian Welfare and Cultural Centre, to provide high-quality teaching of the Italian language and culture in primary schools across Western Australia.
As stated by Citizenship and Multicultural Interests Minister Tony Buti:
“This funding represents the McGowan Government’s commitment to enhancing language and cultural learning in the community languages sector.
“Community language schools provide language and cultural learning that equips students with skills that will last them a lifetime.
“Often staffed by dedicated and skilled volunteers, community language schools provide an essential service to children across the State wanting to learn a language other than English.
“Being able to speak more than one language opens up communication and presents opportunities for jobs, business, friendship, travel and much more.
“Language maintenance and learning are strongly encouraged in Western Australia, as a culturally and linguistically diverse State, where the heritage of all Western Australians is appreciated and supported.”
