- Additional $1.230
million in annual funding for Community Languages Program
- Additional funding takes support to $2.345 million a year
- Community Languages Program supports 53
community language schools
The
future of Western Australia's community language schools has been strengthened
with an additional $1.230 million per annum being allocated to the Culturally
and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) Community Languages Program.
This will take annual
funding to $2.345 million, which is distributed through an eligibility-based
grant cycle for community language schools, a community languages school sector
support program and the Italian In-School Insertion Program.
The CaLD Community
Languages Program supports community language schools to provide language
education to students from kindergarten to year 12 outside of school hours
throughout Western Australia.
As the range of languages
spoken in Western Australia continues to increase, this additional funding
reflects the Cook Labor Government's commitment to multiculturalism.
In the 2022–23 financial
year, 53 community language schools and students in 39 mainstream schools were
supported, teaching 34 languages to 17,572 students.
The CaLD Community Languages
Program funding is administered by the Office of Multicultural Interests. A
list of currently funded community language schools is available at www.omi.wa.gov.au.
Comments attributed to Citizenship and Multicultural Interests Minister
Dr Tony Buti:
"The Cook Labor Government
is committed to language learning as a means of supporting our cultural
diversity and strengthening Western Australia's vibrant multicultural society.
"Language proficiency has
many individual and community benefits. It increases intercultural
understanding and provides future opportunities for business and international
relationships.
"Almost one in every five
Western Australians speak a language other than English at home, which
highlights the importance of community language schools in our community."
