The MK Turner Report is a landmark report, created by the cultural authority of Utyerre Apanpe network and Children’s Ground. It establishes a plan for a First Nations-led and designed education reform in Australia, privileging an approach entitled Apmerengentyele, the Arrernte concept of ‘world view.’ 

Apmerengentyele is a sophisticated system of knowledge and practice that underpins an Arrernte person’s world view – (Arrernte is a First Nations language group of Central Australia. While each First Nation has its own language and culture for their own system of knowledge and practice, each one shares knowledge, ways of knowing, values, and a common practice. 

In this series, we are exploring the recommendations of the MK Turner Report to consider how they can be implemented. The Report’s fourth recommendation is to establish a comprehensive national network of First Nations Language and Literacy Centres for every Nation/language group. 

Language and Literacy Centres will be a comprehensive national network of hubs for every First Nations community/language group wishing to maintain, strengthen and revitalise their languages. They will have national guidelines but remain a locally governed resource. These centres will support the new Apmerengentyele education system and mainstream education system by maintaining local Indigenous languages and creating learning resources.  

“I must teach in a way that keeps the knowledge alive, and makes the students feel that once I have shared my knowledge with them, then they are in a way obligated to me, that we have responsibilities together, which come from the knowledge we have shared together.” Dr Marika-Mununggiritj, 1991 

These Centres will: 

• Be led by local Elders, who will be renumerated for their expertise, and First Nations language experts 
• Create orthographies for languages where requested  
• Develop quality language resources in oral, digital, written, and other forms  
• Be resourced to develop comprehensive whole-of-life and culture Learning and Teaching Materials (LTM) that are relevant to the context of the learner, culture, and community  
• Support the development of specialised “academic vocabulary” for certain school subjects (e.g., mathematics) including high-quality L1 teaching and learning materials, lesson plans, and instruction  
• Develop a sharing and resource community plan, linking in with local schools and libraries  
• Be connected to community schools that exist and are run by First Nations communities, at the recommendation of community  
• incorporate a hub-and-spoke model to service and support remote First Nations homeland communities, in instances where a language is spoken across several communities 

Today, around 100 First Nations languages are considered at ‘severe risk’ or ‘critically endangered’. They are primarily spoken by older generations and are at risk as Elders pass away. The Language and Literacy Centres stop these languages from disappearing.  

These Centres will also provide a critical resource to the Australian education system and beyond seeking to engage with First Nations systems of knowledge. 

As a result of establishing this network of Centres, there will be high-quality learning resources and standards consistent with leading international evidence, setting the standards of excellence for First Nations students.  

The number and quality of first languages spoken across generations will increase, as will the awareness, resourcing and sharing of First Nations knowledge across the Australian government, business, and public arenas. 

• Read the MK Turner Report in full and share it with a friend. 
• Sign our petition to lobby government to enact the changes required to form a First Nations Education system  
• Donate to Children’s Ground to support system changes in education, led by First Nations communities and underpinned by Apmerengentyele. 
• Follow Children’s Ground and Utyerre Apanpe on social media, and share them with your networks  

The MK Turner Report is a landmark report, created by the cultural authority of Utyerre Apanpe network and Children’s Ground. It establishes a plan for a First Nations-led and designed education reform in Australia, privileging an approach entitled Apmerengentyele, the Arrernte concept of ‘world view.’ 

• Central Recommendation: The establishment of a First Nations education system
• Recommendation 2: Government recognises and partners with an independent national First Nations governance body to develop and oversight the new First Nations education system.
• Recommendation 3: Australian governments support the
  teaching of First Nations languages in the new system, through a new national Language of Instruction (LoI) policy.
• Recommendation 4: Develop and support a First Nations education workforce.
• Recommendation 5: Establish a comprehensive national network of First Nations Language and Literacy Centres for every Nation/language group.
• Recommendation 6: Establish the M.K. Turner Institute as a national centre for First Nations knowledge, practice, research and evaluation in the new First Nations education system.