Teaching Indigenous language is crucial to preserving culture

Established in Coffs Harbour, on Gumbaynggirr land, the Gumbaynggirr Ginngana Freedom School is the first Indigenous bilingual school in the state, offering students from k-12 an education that incorporates native language and practice into their education.

With more independent schools like this opening in the country, there is an opportunity to include this education into the broader curriculum, benefiting the students’ cognitive ability, as well as their cultural understanding of country.

Image: Image: Shutterstock – Di Vincenzo

Produced By: James Murray

Featured In Story: Nathan Brennan, Chief Operations Officer, Bularri Muurlay Nyanggan Aboriginal Corporation, and Professor Jakelin Troy, Director of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Portfolio, University of Sydney

First aired on The Wire, Monday 11 April 2022