Parents, teachers, students and members of the Greek community are shocked by news that the Weatherill Labor government in South Australia is axing its Greek Language Maintenance and Development Program.
This long-running, successful program was taught in 16 schools across South Australia and allowed students the chance to broaden their Greek language skills and cultural awareness.
“The Greek community deserves an explanation from Premier Jay Weatherill as to why the government has taken this drastic step and why it didn’t consult with the community before hand,” said Shadow Education Minister David Pisoni.
For almost a decade, the program has been serving hundreds of students in schools across the state, and has received outstanding support from school leadership and school communities.
“This was a program that gave students the opportunity to celebrate their cultural diversity and learn more about the origins of their relatives.
“It is not acceptable for the government to sideline one ethnic community in favour of others,” said Mr Pisoni.
The Greek language is one the oldest in the world and has a long and well-documented history. Tens of thousands of English words are derived from Greek words.
“South Australians deserve a government that truly values the contribution of multicultural communities and supports their growth well into the future,” said Mr Pisoni.
