Learning  

Dear Parents /Guardians,

Next Wednesday is International Women's Day and it is a great day for we, at the Academy, to celebrate the success of women from all over the world who have advocated for women’s rights and education for girls. We are very fortunate that in Australia, students of all genders are afforded the same education and we hope that this right can be afforded to all women across the world. 

Indira Gandhi, India’s prime minister from 1966-1977 and 1980-1984, spoke in 1974 at the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of The Indraprastha College For Women, New Delhi, India about the importance of women’s education and our responsibility as educated women. Here are some excerpts from her speech that talk about the importance of education and still ring true for our students today.

“One of the biggest responsibilities of the educated women today is how to synthesize what has been valuable and timeless in our ancient traditions with what is good and valuable in modern thought. All this is modern is not good just as all that is old is neither all good nor all bad. We have to decide, not once and for all but almost every week, every month  what is coming out that is good and useful (to our country) and what of the old can we keep and enshrine in our society. 

.. for India to become what we want it to become with a modern rational society and firmly based on what is good in our ancient tradition and in our soil, for this we have to have a thinking public, thinking young women who are not content to accept what comes from any part of the world but are willing to listen to it, analyse it and decide whether it is to be accepted or whether it is to be thrown out and this is the sort of education which we want, which enables our young people to adjust to this changing world and to be able to contribute to it.

Some people think that only by taking up very high jobs, you are doing something important or you are doing national service. But we all know that the most complex machinery will be ineffective if one small screw is not working as it should and that screw is just as important as any big part. It is the same in national life. There is no job that is too small; there is no person who is too small. Everybody has something to do. And if he or she does it well, then the country will run well.

… So, I hope that all of you who have this great advantage of education will not only do whatever work you are doing keeping the national interests in view, but you will make your own contribution to creating peace and harmony, to bringing beauty in the lives of our people and our country”

These words are still very relevant today in our society. I see these sentiments being lived by our students as they use the understandings, knowledge and skills they are learning here at the Academy to analyse the world around them, to compare history and modern day and understand the traditions of the many different cultures that we have in Australia. I challenge our students to have the courage to use their learnings to challenge the status quo, to use our unique gifts and talents to enhance the experiences of those around us and to build an inclusive community where everyone is welcomed and their talents celebrated. 

Indira Ghandi’s full speech can be read below 

I encourage students to visit the library next week as they have an International Women’s Day display. I wish everyone a happy International Women's Day for 8th March. 

Year 7 and 9 NAPLAN Testing

Year 7 and 9 parents please go to the Junior School and Middle School page for more information.

Ms Lucy Neil

Deputy Principal, Learning & Teaching