Wednesday, 5 February 2025

Victorian African Communities Action Plan

Pauline RICHARDS (Cranbourne) (19:19): (988) My adjournment is to the Minister for Education, and the action I seek is an update on the homework club program. I have been honoured to chair the Victorian African Communities Committee alongside Tigist Kebede, and the work done by this body is extraordinary. There has been generous and insightful input from Mahamed Ahmed, Fred Alale AM, Tawana Basutu, Andrew Gai, Mama Selba-Gondoza Luka OAM – very exciting – Catherine Jonathan, Adongwot Manyoul, Dr Tebeje Molla, Anaab Rooble and Mohamed Semra. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Dr Stephane Shepherd and Monica Forson for their contribution to this committee.

I would also like to formally congratulate Mama Selba-Gondoza Luka OAM on her well-deserved honour and for the extraordinary work being undertaken by Afri-Aus Care, and I know that their advocacy for homework clubs has been a really important part of enacting the Victorian African Communities Action Plan.

I have visited a few homework clubs, including with the member for Northcote, and I can update the house that they are vibrant and joyous spaces of learning for our young Victorians. In the last Allan Labor government’s budget there was a significant commitment made as part of the Victorian African Communities Action Plan, and I look forward to an update on the rollout of this important program.