NT kids take early look at uni
A group of Territory primary school students has attended university and feed a barra as part of a new program to encourage future participation in higher education.
The students from Driver, Manunda Terrace and Ludmilla primary schools were the first to undertake a Children’s University activity this week at Charles Darwin University.
The Children’s University coordinates a program of high-quality, voluntary learning opportunities for children aged seven to14, with a focus on rewarding participation, raising aspirations and encouraging a love of learning.
Program co-ordinator Julie Forrest-Davis said the establishment of the Northern Territory’s Children’s University opened up engaging learning opportunities for children.
“The focus is very much on the children having a fun, while they are learning,” Ms Forrest-Davis said.
“The children visited our Aquaculture Centre to meet the turtles and feed the barra, had a virtual reality experience and visited Crocodylus Park.”
She said CDU was delighted to be delivering “Children’s University Charles Darwin” in partnership with schools, parents and a range of organisations that provided exciting learning activities for children across Darwin and Palmerston.
“Students will get a taste of university life throughout the year when they visit CDU and other organisations as part of the program,” she said.
The Children’s University, owned globally by the Children’s University Trust, was established in the UK in the early 1990s. The Children’s University Australia was launched in 2013. The NT program will be run through CDU.
“The program is designed to develop confidence in children outside school hours by accessing a variety of extra learning opportunities at local Learning Destination providers,” Ms Forrest-Davis said.
“The children will earn credit stamps in their Passport to Learning. Once they reach certain thresholds they will attend a formal graduation ceremony hosted by CDU and attended by their families and Children’s University partners.”
Learning Destination providers involved in the program include Parliament House, Bunnings Warehouse NT, City of Darwin Libraries, Palmerston Library, Crocodylus Park, The Royal Flying Doctors and Bombing of Darwin Experience, Darwin Languages Centre, Darwin Military Museum, Girl Guides NT and NT Art Storms. For more information visit W: cdu.edu.au/childrens-university