English class for Aborigines (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

English class for Aborigines
http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/bm/national/798449.html

A PLAN to make English compulsory for Aboriginal children has been met with
a mixed reaction, and raised concerns the Federal Government is not
properly resourcing indigenous education.

The plan has been flagged by Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough, who
said Aboriginal children had no hope of getting on in life if they could
only speak a language that just a handful of people could understand.

Mr Brough said the plan was backed by grandparents in indigenous communities
who wanted their young people to have the same opportunities as white
children.

“These children, like all Australian children, will benefit from a strong
grasp of English which allows them to make choices in their lives which
they simply don’t have when they only speak a language which only a handful
of people can understand,” Mr Brough said.

Prominent indigenous Australian John Moriarty said it was important that
Aboriginal children learn English.

But that was provided indigenous languages were not lost.

Dr Moriarty, a distinguished indigenous designer, businessman and adviser,
supported Mr Brough’s sentiments.

“We shouldn’t lose Aboriginal languages, but I think we should learn the
economic language, which is English,” Dr Moriarty said.

He said one of the elders in his community had been pushing for Aborigines
to learn English for some time.

“One of my tribal bosses has said for years: ‘We don’t want white people to
teach us to be Aborigines — that’s our job. What we should be learning is
the white man system so we can cope with the 21st century and beyond.’

“I thought those words are very wise and I follow them strongly.”

Mr Brough also raised the possibility of welfare payments being linked to
school attendance, an idea supported by the Northern Territory Government.

“What I did over 12 months ago was to put this option to the minister,” NT
Chief Minister Clare Martin said.

“It’s strongly supported by many communities around the territory.”

Prime Minister John Howard said indigenous people had no hope of being part
of mainstream Australian society without English.

“If you require them to go to school they’ll have to learn English,” he
said.

“The children of Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants are forced to learn
English because they go to school.

“Equally, Aboriginal children should learn English because they should be
required to go to school.”

Labor indigenous affairs spokeswoman Jenny Macklin said the Government
needed to properly resource schools “to actually act to improve the English
language of Aboriginal children, not just talk in empty political rhetoric”.

Aboriginal activist Sam Watson said the plan was “pure racism” and dismissed
it as a stunt.