The ethnic and community languages schools (ECLS) program is a longstanding and valuable part of languages education in South Australia. It plays an important role in the maintaining and developing languages and cultures in the community.

The program is open to all students, regardless of their linguistic and cultural background. The schools are non-government and non-profit organisations.

The Department for Education and The Ethnic Schools Association of South Australia (ESASA) support the ECLS program with accreditation and funding.

Statement of commitment and collaboration

The department and the Government of South Australia are fully committed to increasing, enhancing and strengthening the teaching and learning of languages in South Australia. They have worked extensively with ESASA to create a statement of commitment and collaboration (PDF 245KB).

The statement represents a joint commitment between the Department and ESASA.

Strengthening secondary pathways

This is a joint project between the department and The Ethnic Schools Association of South Australia. The project will investigate factors affecting students choosing to continue studying a language at senior secondary level and ways to strengthen secondary pathways in languages.

Project outcomes

• Increased understanding by ESASA and mainstream schools of the factors that help or hinder ECLS students studying languages at SACE level.
• Increased understanding by students, teachers, and parents of available pathways to languages study at SACE; increased connection of ethnic and community languages schools with mainstream schools.
• Increased capacity of teachers in ECLS program to plan and provide languages programs at SACE level.

Resources will be developed for use in ethnic and community languages schools and mainstream schools outlining available pathways for particular languages.

Starting an ethnic and community languages school

Information sessions for communities or organisations wanting to start an ethnic and community languages school are held at regularly. For more information contact The Ethnic Schools Association of SA Inc. or call 8301 4816.

Funding and accreditation procedures

The state government provides annual funding to support The Ethnic Schools Association of South Australia and the ECLS program to offer languages and cultures learning to South Australian  preschool and school-aged students outside of school hours.

The ethnic community language schools funding accreditation procedure (PDF 2.6MB) outlines the process that new and existing ethnic and community language schools must follow. It also includes the documents they must provide when applying for accreditation or re-accreditation and to receive funding from the South Australian Government. 

If you have any questions about accreditation or re-accreditation contact The Ethnic Schools Association of SA Inc. or call 8301 4816.