More than $700,000 in funding has been provided to 47 community language schools through the McGowan Government's community language schools program.
Community language schools are not-for-profit, community-based associations that operate out of school hours and teach languages other than English to students from kindergarten through to Year 12.
The schools have been awarded grants of $120 per student, and an additional $120 was awarded for each student enrolled in Western Australian Certificate of Education language courses.
Per capita funding is awarded annually to eligible schools that have been operating for more than 12 months.
The community language schools supported by the program are located throughout the Perth metropolitan area and teach a total of 33 languages.
This year, the top five community languages funded are Chinese with $235,320 in funding, Vietnamese $69,000, Arabic $57,040, Tamil $53,760 and Japanese $49,680. African community languages also received a total of $41,640. A full list of schools is available at http://www.omi.wa.gov.au
The Community Languages Program and its funding is administered by the Office of Multicultural Interests, which provides support to not-for-profit community language schools to teach languages and cultural maintenance programs in after-school hours.
As stated by Citizenship and Multicultural Interests Minister Paul Papalia:
"Community language schools provide language and cultural learning that equips students with skills that will last them a lifetime.
"Staffed by dedicated and skilled volunteers, community language schools provide an essential service to children across the State wanting to learn a language other than English.
"Being able to speak more than one language opens up communication and presents opportunities for jobs, business, friendship, travel and much more.
"As a culturally and linguistically diverse State, language maintenance and learning are strongly encouraged in WA where the heritage of all Western Australians is appreciated and supported.
"The McGowan Government is committed to supporting community language schools to ensure that quality language learning is available to all Western Australian students."
