Yunyarinyi School

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Yunyarinyi School is a small, family oriented community school in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands in northern South Australia. The school is funded by the state government through the new local management structure which involves self management of the budget by the school (this is a change which occurred in 2001) The school is funded according to the number of children enrolled and it is governed by a council of parents who oversee the major decision making in the school. Funding levels at the school have been related to the number of kids enrolled which can be hard because many people in Anangu communities live a culturally transient lifestyle.

The school has classes for 'Child Parent Centre' pre-school kids, junior primary, upper primary and secondary students. The school can teach up to year 12 level but most of the focus is on ESL learning, as nearly all of the students speak English as a Second Language. The school services kids from the local community and outlying homelands of Tjuru, Blackhill I and Blackhill II. Everyday the school bus picks kids up and takes them home. There is also a community lunch program. The attendance rate at the school is excellent. The average attendance rate is 80% for most of the students and recently there were even two special awards for students who attended 99% and 100% of the school term.

The school aspires to educate students to the level and confidence required for them to enter mainstream high school so that they can experience the full range of education opportunities available in a bigger school. For secondary students who choose to stay in the community, the school offers other opportunities through the pathways program, offering VET (Vocational Education and Training) subjects. Recently, one such student completed her traineeship in office administration (the first on the lands) and is now working as a school services officer and is entered in the semi-finals of 'trainee of the year' competition. Three secondary students have just moved to study at St Phillips College in Alice Springs as boarders and one has gone to the Wiltja Anangu program at Woodville High School in Adelaide. Currently enrollments fluctuate between thirty and forty five.

There are currently three teachers at the school. There was a new appointment last year due to growing enrolments, which has allowed for a separate secondary class.

English and Pitjantjatjara are both taught in the school. The Anangu Education Workers run the Pit language classes and the Piranpa (whitefella) teachers teach the English components. Both streams seem to be working well here and often people remark that kids at Kenmore Park have better English than many kids on the lands.

Here at Kenmore Park, the school system is working well for Anangu kids. There are parents who support the school and kids who want to come and learn. There is a lot of support from the community to help make the school strong.