As a graduate of CDU‚ Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Policy Development course, Teleiah Bayfield became one of the youngest Directors in the Queensland Department of Education and is currently the Director of Indigenous Education.
Teleiah’s biggest achievement has been to develop and implement the Every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student succeeding strategy. This is the first state schooling strategy for Queensland First Nations students, targeting the operations, systems and policy changes required to see change, with connection to culture at its heart.
Teleiah leads a diverse team and projects across the state, including language and community engagement strategies, allied health services in remote communities, cultural capability, and a range of initiatives targeting at-risk to high achieving students.
Teleiah has also served as the Queensland advisor for the Beyond Blue National Education Advisory Council and a member of the Act for Kids Board of Directors
Teleiah has led Australia’s‚ contribution to the OECD international research on Indigenous students, importantly implemented a state-wide report card ensuring accountability to communities; and is Chair and was instrumental in establishing Vocational Training Queensland, offering continuous education and training for highly mobile students, in particular those in the justice system.
Through Teleiah’s leadership and a system-wide effort, over 50 schools are now also working with their communities to develop local language programs aligned to the Australian Curriculum; and Year 12 certification for First Nations students is now 98.1%, closing the gap within 1%
Prior to studying at Charles Darwin University, Teleiah spent 8 years working in for-purpose organisations as a youth worker, case manager and partnership broker, fostering whole-of-community approaches to supporting young people. Teleiah also conducted consultations and research to ensure young people's voices and needs were recognised, advocating for these to members of parliament.
Seeing the repetitive cycle of children and young people disengaging from education in Central and South-East Queensland, it was clear that policy change was required in the education system to better serve this next generation. Through studying at CDU, Teleiah was able to translate these experiences and community-led values into the government policy sector and broaden her impact.
In 2020, after 6 months of maternity leave, Teleiah is building on this work to ensure all 58,000 First Nations students in Queensland see the change and no young person or school is left behind.