Acknowledgement of Country
NESA acknowledges Gadigal Country, where our Sydney office is located, and Cultural Custodians of Country throughout New South Wales. We pay respect to Elders past and present.
We recognise the continuing cultural, spiritual, and educational practices of Aboriginal peoples as the world’s oldest living cultures which have the longest continuous education system in the world. NESA acknowledges the role communities play in the education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and the enormous ongoing contribution made by Elders.
Our commitment is to work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Aboriginal communities, and key stakeholders to ensure a genuine voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples is heard. This includes ensuring that policies, actions, and strategies are developed in a respectful and collaborative way across our statutory responsibilities for curriculum, teaching, assessment, and school standards in NSW.
NESA recognises the ongoing contemporary impacts of invasion and colonisation and aims to facilitate understanding, reciprocity, equity, and sustainable opportunities. We aim to make positive change to the way we do business in order to change the way NSW educates all students to ensure they are able to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures and support the aspirations and educational success of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
NESA acknowledges the deep connections Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have with lands, waters and skies and Community. We value and promote respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges, languages, and Cultures as fundamental to our positive shared futures.
Overview
NESA has developed a Commitment to Aboriginal Education in partnership with the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Inc. (AECG).
NESA is committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal communities and supporting teachers, schools and schooling sectors to improve educational outcomes for Aboriginal children and young people.
Our vision is that collaboration across all sectors and government departments will deliver continual growth in attainment levels of Aboriginal students and greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, Histories and Cultures for all students.
Commitment to Aboriginal Education
The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) is committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal communities and supporting teachers, schools and schooling sectors to improve educational outcomes for Aboriginal children and young people. Our vision is that collaboration across all sectors and government departments will deliver both continual growth in attainment levels of Aboriginal students and greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges, histories and cultures for all students.
In articulating this goal, our starting point is our NESA Charter and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy vision that “all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people achieve their full learning potential, are empowered to shape their own futures, and are supported to embrace their culture and identity as Australia’s First Nations Peoples”.
In developing and implementing specific initiatives, NESA is guided by the following key principles:
Recognition
NESA recognises Australia’s First Peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land and the centrality of the land for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. NESA also recognises the importance of Aboriginal Peoples having a strong and clear role in determining and developing educational policies, including actions and strategies to support Aboriginal students’ engagement and achievement.
Respect
NESA respects Australia’s First Peoples as custodians of humanity’s oldest living cultures, which remain strong and vibrant sources of inspiration, identity and meaning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and which enrich Australian society.
Engagement and collaboration
NESA develops and maintains trusting relationships with local communities and stakeholders, working in partnership with the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (NSW AECG Inc.), the peak body for Aboriginal education and training, to ensure a genuine Aboriginal voice is heard and that policies, including actions and strategies to support Aboriginal Peoples are developed in a respectful and collaborative way.
Strength-based approach
NESA believes that with relationships involving high expectations and support, and high quality teaching and authentic learning experiences, every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child and young person can develop their talents, fulfil their potential, achieve excellence and contribute with integrity to improving Australia’s future.
Accountability
NESA, schools, sectors, partnering agencies, communities, and other stakeholders need to be willing to be held accountable for their efforts and contribution to the achievement of improved outcomes.
Reciprocity
NESA will seek to ensure that engagements between agencies and communities are reciprocal in terms of demand, action and benefit.
Planning
NESA’s commitment to these principles will be reflected in a systematic and practical way through NESA’s strategic plans and related initiatives.
Acknowledgements
NESA commits to supporting and working closely with the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG).
You can download NESA's Commitment to Aboriginal Education (PDF 362.1KB).
Webpage artwork
The artwork represents NESA’s reconciliation journey, with the circles representing the different schools and communities that NESA engage with on a day-to-day basis.
You will notice the circles aren’t perfectly round; they are a more organic shape. This represents the journey to reconciliation and the genuineness of the people involved. Within each circle, there are details that demonstrate the complexities in each relationship, and the varying colours show us that they are each individual and diverse.
Finally, the two white dots at the centre focuses our attention on NESA’s reconciliation goals:
- continual growth in attainment levels of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
- greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges, histories and cultures for all students.
Webpage artwork © Danielle Jean Sullivan.