Our vision for Reconciliation
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. As an educational institution Scotch has an important role in the process of reconciliation.
Reconciliation cannot be a theoretical construct or something we think we should do out of a sense of duty. The concept of reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Currently we have 41 indigenous students at Scotch, both day boys and within the Residential community. These students come from all over Australia.
As just one measure of our commitment to reconciliation and the ongoing reconciliation awareness for our boys, in 2019, we commissioned one of our past students Kam Bin Salleh (OSC’ 10) to create murals of the six Noongar seasons. These murals will be hung in our chapel during the respective seasons, until all six are on display for many years to come. Last year, Kam was named WA Young Person of the Year, for contributions to art and culture.
Throughout the school year, Scotch College participates in and celebrates many aspects of Indigenous culture. The Curriculum across all subject areas incorporates Indigenous culture and educates non-Indigenous students on many aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Our main celebration is NAIDOC week, which is celebrated across the whole school. Each sub-school participates in events, guest speakers and projects which are facilitated by the current Indigenous student group. The community of Scotch College brings a wide range of cultural backgrounds and experiences to reconciliation. Through open and thoughtful conversations combined with deliberate actions, we seek to increase our community's understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and experiences and to inspire further reconciliation.
Our school community also celebrates National Reconciliation Week (NRW) by talking about reconciliation in the classroom and around the school and celebrating with the community. NRW is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and to explore how each of us can join the national reconciliation effort. All staff from across the school are supported to understand and embed the Australian Curriculum cross-curriculum priority Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures in the curriculum.
Reconciliation is a generational journey with which the whole Scotch community must engage. It is our hope that through our words and deeds we can make a contribution to ensuring that reconciliation is central to the hopes and aspirations of everyone. We especially hope the young boys who we teach will go on to be leaders and role models of reconciliation well after they graduate from Scotch.
