Threatened Closure: Resistance and Compromise (1998–2000)

Abstract

This chapter begins Part 3 of the book by considering the official decision in 1998 to phase out bilingual programs and the vigorous campaigns such as such as the ‘Don’t cut out our tongues’ movement mounted in opposition by program staff, community members and academics. The next move by the Northern Territory government was to commission an independent review of Indigenous education. The Collin’s Report, which emerged from that review, identified weaknesses in the program, but no justification for closing it. Despite this, a number of schools lost their programs in the wake of the official decision. One recommendation from the report, which was taken up, was to adopt the term ‘Two-way education’. Some of the developments and confusions that arose are detailed in the chapter. Many of the themes touched on in Part 3 are mirrored globally by contestations concerning bilingual education and mother tongue instruction programs.