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Letters from the Queen and PM all in a day’s work for Manyallaluk School students

27 November 2017
Children and Schooling
A group of Aboriginal school students sit on steps, holding a letter from the Prime Minister the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull, MP. Behind them stand five adults.

The students at Manyallaluk School have been writing letters to develop their persuasive writing skills. Along with receiving letters from Her Majesty the Queen and the Essendon Football Club, they recently received a letter from the Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP.

When Manyallaluk School students started writing letters to famous people and sporting clubs earlier this year, they could not have imagined the overwhelming response they got.

Manyallaluk is a small community of around 100 people in the Central Arnhem Region of the Northern Territory, 115 kilometres southeast of Katherine. Throughout the 2017 school year, Manyallaluk School students have been developing and practicing their persuasive writing skills by sending letters to prominent people and sporting clubs around the world.

Teachers thought the students would get a couple of responses so were astonished at the number of replies, which now numbers about 500, including a letter from Queen Elizabeth II’s Lady in Waiting sent on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, the Essendon Football Club (the kids’ favourite sporting club), and most recently, a letter from the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP.

In his letter the Prime Minister encouraged the Manyallaluk students to attend school every day so they can get a good education and a good job.

Manyallaluk School Principal, Ben Kleinig, said the overwhelming response to the letter writing project showed the students the value of a good education. 

“The responses are getting the students very motivated about writing, and showing, in a really tangible way, the power of writing,” Ben said.

“The students are getting very excited about receiving letters from other famous people.” 

The Prime Minister’s letter is now proudly displayed in the school trophy cabinet next to the students’ other favourite letters and gifts they have received as part of the letter writing project.

Find out more

A good education is essential for a good future. Getting children to school, improving education outcomes and supporting families to give their children the best start in life is a major priority for the Australian Government.

For more information, visit Remote School Attendance Strategy, and the Australian Government’s Children and Schooling Programme.