Hosted on Larrakia Country from August 24-25, Utyerre Apanpe brings together Elders, cultural professors, senior educators and emerging leaders to shape and advance a national First Nations-led education system in Australia.
Now in its seventh year, the Forum provides a national platform for educators to share knowledge and practice, strengthen language and cultural learning and progress national reforms outlined in the M.K. Turner Report.
The 100-page Report, released in July 2023 and produced by Dr MK Turner OAM, a celebrated Arrernte elder who died just weeks before its release, calls for a First Nations-led and designed education system called ‘Apmerengentyele’, which incorporates common values and practices, including the centring of learning from the land and through Elders, and a clear vision for excellence and learning outcomes.
“Apmerengentyele places learning within community and across extended hours. Learning occurs throughout life – beyond the hours of a school day and beyond the walls of a mainstream school environment. The systems extend and adjust learning to fit communities, children, geography and cultures,” the Report reads.
The landmark blueprint offers governments six recommendations for reform, calling for the establishment of a First Nations-led education system as the key to reversing the failure of mainstream schooling, and creating a future where all children grow strong in identity, language and culture.
Jo Wilmott OAM, a Wakka Wakka woman and member of the Utyerre Apanpe First Nations Educators Network, says Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island children prosper when their learning begins in the spirit and vision of their ancestors, who carried lore and culture through the essence of language and expression.
“This spirit endures in us, shaping how we teach and how we learn,” Wilmott says.
“It is our cultural responsibility to uphold this legacy, ensuring First Nations knowledge and practice remain the foundation of education.”
The 2025 Forum will focus on:
- advancing a national learning pathway for First Nations children, grounded in cultural authority and designed by Elders
- strengthening a national body of First Nations educators to guide cultural and professional standards
- building the steps towards an independent Utyerre Apanpe governance structure with long-term funding
Educators will also share practice across Nations, reflect on the international context for Indigenous education reform and work on strategies for curriculum design, workforce development and cultural protection.
“Through the strength of our collective voice, we are guiding the next generations and creating opportunities for them to thrive in identity, to be empowered by culture and to walk proudly with the wisdom of both worlds,” Wilmott says.
“This is vital work, reaching from our Country and communities to the global stage.
“Australia must embrace our models of education so every child has the chance to prosper.”
