The west’s only bilingual school program has been saved after a heartfelt campaign by parents.
The Vietnamese language immersion learning program at Footscray Primary School was set to be dumped until a fight-back by parents, and intervention by the education minister, salvaged the program for next year.
Star Weekly last week reported that parents were calling for a freeze on the axing of the long-running practice of classes being taught in Vietnamese for up to five hours a week.
A petition circulated around the school and online, and quickly attracted more than 600 signatures. Western suburbs upper house MP Bernie Finn told Parliament on Thursday it was “important that this decision be reversed”.
“I certainly support the minister intervening, and so that is what I am asking him to do — to intervene in this particular situation, to overturn the decision that has been described in the petition and to ensure that the bilingual immersion program at Footscray Primary School is retained.”
Footscray MP Marsha Thomson said education minister James Merlino took the matter up with the department of education late last week.
Late Friday, parents were notified by the school that the decision had been halted, and more consultation would be held next term.
Acting principal Bridget McLaughlin wrote to parents and carers saying the school will review the decision to discontinue the program.
“Those families that are interested will be able to continue the program in 2017.”
Vietnamese Community Australia Victorian chapter president Viv Nguyen said she had alerted school principal Philip Fox to the concerns of the Vietnamese community.
“From the parents’ point of view, they were not feeling that they have been heard or considered,” she said. “I always feel having two languages is better than one.”
Parent Nicholas Cowall, a vocal critic of the original decision, praised the school for reversing its stance.
“The decision to retain the program next year and to undertake a consultative process next term is the first step in our journey,” he said.
“Once the terms of the process are announced it is hoped that an external facilitator will be appointed. We also want to ensure that the wider school community will have the opportunity to be involved along with experts and other stakeholders.”
Education minister James Merlino said language and culture are an important part of keeping schools at the heart of communities.
“I understand that the school has acknowledged the concerns parents have raised and the bilingual program is being retained.”
