In Australia, Adventist Church Accredits School Serving Indigenous Population

Mamarapha College has become the first institution of its size focused on serving the indigenous population to receive a worldwide Seventh-day Adventist accreditation as a medium-level institution in the South Pacific Division (SPD).

The visiting panel reviewing the application was unanimous in its decision, praising the presentation from Mamarapha College and its passion for mission in an education setting.

“This is a significant milestone for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministry (ATSIM),” Mamarapha College principal David Garrard said. “Being officially recognized as an Adventist institution by the world church acknowledges the quality and standard of the education and culture we provide.”

After deciding to pursue the accreditation in 2020, Garrard commenced working on various aspects of the application, collaborating closely with Adventist Schools Australia (ASA) and David McClintock, SPD education director, over the past nine months to complete the report.

Using the ASA Quality Adventist Schools framework as a basis, Mamarapha College has developed its own unique framework for continuous improvement and are committed to reviewing 15 areas of operation every five years.

These reviews will feed into a plan for continuous improvement in Adventist identity, culture, and student outcomes and will help Mamarapha College leaders as they strive to elevate how the college functions.

“Mamarapha College struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic, but like many churches and organizations within our church, they have come through even stronger,” Terry Johnson, Australian Union Conference president, explained.

“They have pushed themselves into improving the college and taking their services to the next level.”

“We are extremely proud of the team at Mamarapha College, and we are delighted that the world church has recognized their accomplishments,” Johnson added.

As the college continues to make headway with the accreditation and expansion of its facilities, Garrard continues to focus on their priorities.

“Although we are looking forward to increasing enrollments and diversifying the courses we provide, we will continue to focus on our culture of mission and sharing God’s love, not only to our students but to their families and communities,” he said.

About Mamarapha College

Mamarapha College is located in Karragullen, in the scenic bush surrounds of Perth’s orchard region in Western Australia. According to the school website, it is “a quiet, peaceful place where you can connect with God and grow in your walk with Him.”

Mamarapha’s impact reaches right across Australia, having educated thousands of students since its establishment in 1997.

“Considering our networking capacity and with the right support, Mamarapha has the potential to diversify and increase ministry impact and be known as a leading Indigenous institution throughout Australia,” Garrard said.

The original version of this story was posted by Adventist Record.