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The Northern Territory Government is providing free swimming and water safety lessons for all primary school-aged children across the Territory.

From next year, all children in Years 1 to 6 will have the opportunity to develop skills in swimming, and water safety, in school.

At the Goldfishbowl Swim School in Palmerston today, NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, along with Member for Blain Matthew Kerle, said the NT Government was determined to help families with the cost of living.

Chief Minister Finocchiaro noted “with our fantastic outdoor lifestyle, learning to swim is a fundamental skill all Territory children should have.

“Our free swimming and water safety program in schools will equip young Territorians with lifesaving skills and improve their ability to be safe around water.

“Our government understands the cost of school swimming lessons can be a financial barrier for participation.

“That’s why we are funding swimming and water safety education for all primary school students across the Territory.”

Government and non-government schools will receive funding to provide free swimming lessons, as well as supporting the costs of transport to get students to swimming lessons.

Education and Training Minister Jo Hersey said no child should miss out on learning skills that could save their life and added “the Territory’s drowning statistics are alarming. We know that Territorians are three times more likely to drown than anyone else in Australia and that needs to change.

“This $3 million investment in our children eliminates any financial barriers for children to participate in swimming and water safety lessons.”

The swimming in schools program will be provided in addition to the Government’s Sport Voucher Scheme parents can already access.

For remote schools with limited access to pools, tailored programs will be developed utilising both public and privately owned pools with transport and accommodation costs covered.

Executive Director of Royal Life Saving NT, Floss Roberts advised “we have the highest drowning rate per capita in the whole of Australia”

“This has been further exacerbated by children not learning swimming and water safety skills in primary school. Too many of our children have been missing out for too long.

“This program will change the water safety culture for children and their families and improve children’s knowledge, skills and confidence across the Northern Territory.”

Principal of Woodroffe Primary School, Kristy West added “many of our parents are using their Sports Voucher to help fund the cost of swimming lessons. Under these arrangements, schools will be funded to provide swimming lessons, meaning parents will be able to use their Sports Voucher on other forms of sport and recreation.”

Image top: Royal Life Saving NT Water Safety for Primary Students. Credit: Royal Life Saving NT; Image below: Woodroffe Primary School swimming lessons

Note: The Alliance of water safety focused organisations includes Royal Life Saving NT, Surf Life Saving NT, Swimming NT, the Amateur Fisherman’s Association NT (AFANT), Triathlon NT, Y NT and Kidsafe NT.

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