NT school back in community hands after year of statutory management

An independent Indigenous school in Alice Springs is back under community management after 12 months of statutory arrangements.Yipirinya School was put in the hands of administrators in July last year amid significant financial issues and after former principal Gavin Morris was charged with assaulting students.Greg Hollis says it is important to deliver a quality education to as many students as possible. (ABC Alice Springs: Victoria Ellis)Principal Greg Hollis said the school was focused on "teaching and learning" to rebuild student numbers, which would increase funding and help the school repay $3.7 million to the federal government."If we're bringing in significant numbers but we're not actually providing the quality education they deserve, then we're doing them a disservice," he said."I want to encourage them to come along, to attend regularly and to learn. That's where it is at the moment."Mr Hollis said about 186 students were enrolled at the school, which had a 51 per cent attendance rate most days.Stuart Reid says the school will pay off the debt over the next five years. (ABC Alice Springs: Victoria Ellis)Former administrator Stuart Reid said Yipirinya School would make its first debt repayment at the start of next year."The way it works is that the government will retain the sum of around about $700,000 from each year's funding, so it's not cash going back, it's just less cash coming to the school," he said."We've budgeted for that, so the school will be able to manage that over that five-year period."Yipirinya School needs to pay back $3.7 million to the federal government. (ABC News: Charmayne Allison)Mr Hollis said the schools funding would be spent as wisely as possible."We'll be able to direct it appropriately to ensure that we maximise the learning outcomes … if we stay with that, I'm pretty sure we can manage and do a good job at the same time," he said.Committee aims to regain trustThe new Yipirinya School Committee has been formed by nine people: Beverley Angeles, Cherisse Buzzacott, Kumalie Kngwarraye, Shirleen Campbell, Kate Mar Fan, Mathew Axeton, Neil McLeod, Dominic McCormack and Jake Quinlivan.Ms Kngwarraye said the school was founded on the basis of Indigenous people passing on knowledge and two-way learning."This is a very important time celebrating the hand-back to the community for self-management and control, self-determination and empowerment for our people to look after our own affairs," she said.Kate Mar Fan and Kumalie Kngwarraye say the committee has its work cut out for it, but are optimistic about the future. (ABC Alice Springs: Victoria Ellis)Ms Mar Fan said the committee needed to rebuild community trust."It's definitely not going to be easy, but we're definitely going to be trying our hardest to work through everything that we can for the best outcome for our students and our staff," she said.