Mandurah Baptist College have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Foundation for Indigenous Health (FISH), to work together in assisting the creation of an educational environment which recognises the identities and cultures of Aboriginal people.
The bilateral agreement will encourage all students to engage in reconciliation, respect and recognition of Noongar culture.
Both parties aim to achieve their goals through the implementation of the Aboriginal and Intercultural Studies National Curriculum developed by FISH for the Binjareb Region.
Senior School principal Tracy Holmes said the MoU would allow students and teachers to gain a broader awareness of Aboriginal culture.
“We’re really looking forward to what can come of this, and we’re really open to opportunities,” she said.
The nonbinding agreement was celebrated and officially signed at a smoke ceremony on Thursday at the school.
“For us it’s really important to know the land we’re on, the history of the land, the cultural aspects of the land,” Ms Holmes said.
“This is a great way for us to partner with FISH, and do that authentically and to do it with real integrity.
“It’s a partnership with a great organisation.”
At the ceremony, Aboriginal elder and FISH program advisor Koodah Cornwall joined with FISH chief executive officer Mark Anderson to discuss what the MoU meant for the school.
The initiative came about through Mr Anderson’s son Sam, who was head boy at the school two years ago.
“Sam was our head boy. So we’ve known Sam and Mark for many years and we’ve worked with Mark in other projects,” Ms Holmes said.
“It’s great that Koodah and Mark are so open to discussion, and the MoU just really sets that platform.”
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The school has undertaken a number of cultural significant projects in the past, including benches for the Pinjarra massacre site and hosting community leader George Walley at the school to perform a Welcome to Country.
“It fitted with where we’re heading,” Ms Holmes said.
“We’re taking our steps in the journey of looking at how we integrate Aboriginal history and culture into our school. So this is a great next step.
“We’re going to talk about projects that tie into curriculum areas like humanities, science, English and we’ll integrate language into that as well.
“We’re also looking at on the ground projects. We’re looking at things such as a walk through the school, that has spots for reflection, for scientific information, for language information, historical information. We want to look at it holistically.
“We just want to do better and better, so engaging in partnerships like this we have great support, we have great relationships with people and we’re doing it with integrity.
“It’s also a good opportunity of staff to learn, so we’re all going to learn through the journey.
“I think what will happen now is we’ll look into the possibilities of what we can do. It’s exciting.”
Mandurah Baptist College is the first school in the region to sign a MoU with the FISH.
FISH have signed MoUs with schools in Perth and Busselton.
