The teaching of the Greek language and culture in the NT and especially in Darwin is a success story that can serve as a case study for the rest of Australia.

Greek language and culture programs are currently being offered in eight out of the 14 state schools in Darwin with a total enrolment of approximately 1500 students.

What is even more impressive is that the overwhelming majority of those students partaking in Greek language and culture teaching, 85 percent, are not of Greek descent, according to the President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Northern Australia (GOCNA), John Nicolakis.

Instrumental in the success story of Greek education in the NT is GOCNA’s member Angelica Poulos.

The key element underlining the accomplishments of Greek Community of NT in regards to the teaching of Greek language, is the close partnerships that the community has forged with the Territory Government and the local school communities.

An example of such a partnership is the Wagaman Primary school where two classes of Greek language and culture are offered for Years 5 and 6.

Impressively, of the 48 children enrolled in this program only about 15 percent are of Greek descent, according to the school Principal, Michele Cody.

“We introduced the Greek language and culture program in 2004 as valuing what the Greek community brings to the school and as a strengthening of the ethos,” Mrs Cody said to Neos Kosmos.

The way she promotes it to the school community is that it’s giving them a pathway into the future and that it’s a value added program.

She explained that intercultural studies and language learning enrich the students’ teaching and prepares them to become global citizens.

Mrs Cody added that parents who are loooking for the full development of their children beyond the literacy and numeracy results appreciate such opportunities.

Children, especially those who are not of Greek background, gain a better understanding of Australia’s multicultural heritage and are having fun in the process.

Cecilia Bernardino, a 10 years old from a Timorese-Portuguese background who has been studying Greek for two years expressed her love of Greek cooking and of her favourite bougatsa , whereas 11 years old Kaylah Robertson spoke of her love of learning Greek dancing with her preferred choice being Zorba when speaking to Neos Komsos.

Hassan Skeggs, an 11 years old of Indonesian background has been studying Greek for 2 years noted the religious similarities giving the example of the fasting and culminating celebration that are present in both the Greek Orthodox and Islamic faiths.

The Greek community of Northern Territory has been proactive in engaging with the state’s Education Department to ensure that secondary schools and tertiary continue the teaching of Greek language and culture.

Angelica Poulos also explained that for the last seven years Greek is taught on all levels at the Charles Darwin University in cooperation with Flinders University in South Australia.

Recently, a Greek language teaching Diploma was added to the Graduate Programs in an attempt to address the shortage of accredited Greek language teachers.

All of this, especially the primary and secondary Greek language and culture education programs may be at risk if Greek is not included in the National Curriculum currently being developed by the Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority (ACARA).

“It would be a major blow to Greek education as we would have to build a new infrastructure from scratch,” GOCNA President John Nicolakis stressed to Neos Kosmos.

He further clarified that from their own end they are also intensifying their lobbying efforts to achieve the inclusion of the Greek language in the national curriculum.