Indigenous Australians are being encouraged to take up teaching careers with a new initiative receiving a $500,000 contribution from the Australian Government.

Outlining his support for the National Catholic Education Commission and the More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teachers Initiative (MATSITI) joint project, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education Senator the Hon Scott Ryan said the project would increase the number and professional capacity of Indigenous teachers.

“We need Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educators in schools so there are positive role models available for young students to inspire them and help build their love of learning.”

“As Prime Minister Tony Abbott mentioned in his Closing the Gap speech in February, there is still a way to go to improve the reading, writing and numeracy skills of Indigenous students.

“Building on the Coalition Government’s successful anti-truancy measures to get more kids to school, this contribution will encourage Indigenous Australians to choose teaching as a career and support them as they educate the next generation,” Senator Ryan said.

“This Government is committed to getting more Indigenous Australians to school and halving the gap in reading, writing and numeracy. I welcome the commitment of the National Catholic Education Commission to help with this task.”

Director of Catholic Education South Australia, Dr Paul Sharkey, said that with this funding support from the Government through the University of South Australia’s More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teachers Initiative, Catholic education commissions across Australia can address many of the barriers to the success of Indigenous and Torres Strait students at school.

“Catholic education believes that by having more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers we can better support the learning needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, so they can pursue their own dreams and goals as teachers or in other professions.”

MATSITI is administered by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and facilitated through the University of South Australia. MATSITI is working with a number of stakeholders across the Catholic education sector to support the programme.