Petition: Support bilingual programs in NT

Contacts for Speaker of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly:
PHONE (08) 8946-1431 (+61 8 8946-1431) FAX (08) 8981-3284 (+61 8 8981-3284)	The Speaker Northern Territory Legislative Assembly Darwin NT 0800 AUSTRALIA

TO THE HONORABLE THE SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY:

We the undersigned respectfully showeth that the progressive withdrawal of the bilingual programs in the Northern Territory schools will mean that:

Aboriginal people are being told that their written and spoken languages have no official place in NT schools for their children
Access to English literacy will be more difficult if literacy is not achieved first in the language that the children speak (national and international research supports this)
The nationally and internationally recognised work done by the NT Bilingual Programs in collecting and maintaining language resources will be discontinued (this is a part of the heritage of all Australians)
Aboriginal teachers will have greatly reduced career paths.

YOUR PETITIONERS URGENTLY REQUEST THAT THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF THE NOTRTHERN TERRITORY MAINTAIN AND CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR BILINGUAL PROGRAMS IN NT SCHOOLS. GIVEN THE HIGH LEVEL OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THESE PROGRAMS. AND YOUR PETITIONERS AS IN DUTY BOUND WILL EVER PRAY

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