*Eagle Arts and Vocational College had schools in Western Sydney, Kincumber, Broken Hill, and a small annex in Wilcannia, NSW, and was a haven for over 130 teenagers, who were thrown out onto the streets when the school was closed in 2018 by NSW Education and Standards Authority (NESA).
The matter was referred to the Anti-discrimination Board who after investigation declared the school closure by NESA was discriminatory on several counts. NESA did not attend a meeting called by the Anti-discrimination board and no further action could be taken by the board, resulting in 130 vulnerable teenagers, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous having their only safe place for education and understanding ripped from them.
What’s Gab doing now?
16/4/2025 - As one of the co-founders of the IAPA along with Uncle Owen Whyman and Kahlia Joy Blair, Gab had an led an exhausting and frenetic pace to get the Party registered and through it’s first election. Coinciding with a number of health problems, Gab stood away from the day-to-day running of the Party in mid 2023 but remains as Education Spokesperson.
Rather than returning to trying to run alternative special assistance schools for ‘school refusers’ in the face of bureaucratic obstinacy she has found a situation where she can do what she loves best; getting the most out of kids who the mainstream education system has given up on.
Wahroonga Aboriginal Corporation in Raymond Terrace near Maitland auspices the classes. Gab says,
“Aunty Annette and Aunty Di are both go-getter types who had good sense to approach schools directly and ask them how could they help with the school refusers.” They came up with the scheme I now run but it didn't get started properly because they had no trained teacher and then I walked in the door wearing my Indigenous Party t-shirt. I was welcome straight away. Maitland PCYC offered us a free room for the first year but we’ve had to transfer to Hamilton in Newcastle to secure an almost free room starting next term on 29 April.”
“The group runs 3 hard half days per week. We do basically literacy, numeracy and a fun activity; sport and/or art every afternoon. Most parents seem happy with it. As we have little money, we cater for about 12 teenagers. The local member has already mentioned us in state parliament. I have a letter to the affect.”
Did you know the Indigenous-Aboriginal Party of Australia has an Education Spokesperson?
Meet Gab McIntosh:
Gab is Education Spokesperson and one of the co-founders of the Indigenous-Aboriginal Party of Australia. Gab, who received an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2007 for her work in education, is the retired principal of the alternative school Eagle Arts and Vocational College*.
Gab says the answer to the current education crisis is simple.
“Stop imposing unrealistic bureaucratic standards on school principals and start listening to their opinions. The decision makers need to start talking to the people who really understand schools; the teachers, parents, and kids themselves.
The NSW Education and Standards Authority (NESA) is one such authority imposing a ‘one rule fits all’ approach to all NSW schools, including those in, remote, isolated, and culturally unique First Nation communities.
As a principal of a school that catered to school refusers, Gab understands the need for creating a safe, flexible, and collaborative learning environment. Many of the pupils at the Eagle Arts College were Indigenous, had mental health issues, were victims of bullying in their previous schools and refused to attend mainstream school.
As with these pupils, not all children or teenagers fit into mainstream schooling so alternative schools are imperative to ensure these kids don’t miss out on an education altogether and the lifelong benefits this can bring.
Gab says, “Please close the NESA. The Standards Authority can easily override the plans of any principal with their one million rules, which have very little to do with teaching or creating an environment where kids actually want to learn.
This one size fits all authority over-loads teachers with irrelevant paperwork and completely ignores their professional opinion on most matters. The word of bureaucrats counts for more than the word of anyone in the classroom.
Gab says, “The answers to this mess are simpler than any bureaucrat would have you believe. Take the power away from the rule makers, the non-teachers and give it back to principals, teachers, parents, and kids too. Particularly give them the power to determine how much paperwork, or compliance, is actually needed so kids can learn.”
Reform the Education System
Dear Friends and Supporters,
I hope you have had a chance to read the story connected to the link below. Reform of the Education system, to make it much better, for kids who don't like school is one of our important policies.
If you look at our Webpage you will see Policy number 8 which says: "Indigenous control of Indigenous school education."
Why I think this story is so important is that it highlights how even a simple change can really work in favour of our beautiful kids who get such a rough time in the current exam-based education system. As you can read for yourself, this non-Indigenous principal had the guts to make all his lessons go out of doors and he says it caused a huge change in the school.
Note: he says that suspesions and bad behaviour almost disappeared. Indigenous people understand in their bones that the natural environment is the best place for learning. Kids should stick their hands in the dirt, climb trees, fall over, and sim in rivers in order to learn. This should be normal for education, not something that happens just once a week if the kids are lucky.
If anyone else knows about schools who are doing it differently, and having success, please put it up on this Facebook site we encourage those of you who have had a bad run at schools to put up your stories because things can only change when we start to tell the truth about education.
Thanks,
Charlotte and Gab
