School Infrastructure NSW wins NSW Connected Communities Award at Nanga Mai Awards

Release date: 31 March 2021

Today School Infrastructure NSW (SINSW) won the NSW Connected Communities Award at the NSW Department of Education’s 15th annual Nanga Mai Awards ceremony.

The Nanga Mai Awards celebrates and recognises the outstanding achievements of Aboriginal students, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal teachers, other departmental staff, Aboriginal community members and schools that demonstrate excellence across a diversity of areas.

SINSW’s award is in recognition for its outstanding contribution to Aboriginal educational excellence in public schools right across NSW including support with the implementation of the Connected Communities Strategy.

Chief Executive, Anthony Manning said he was proud to be accepting the award on behalf of all SINSW staff who have worked tirelessly over the last year to ensure schools across the state remained connected and safe during a year of devastating floods, fires and a pandemic.

“I would like to especially highlight the work of our Asset Management Unit teams and our partners who provided relentless support, expertise and courage throughout what was a challenging 2020,” said Mr Manning.

“Charged with facing and managing the impacts of the floods, fires and pandemic on our school communities, teaching and non-teaching staff worked collaboratively to ensure Connected Communities schools and their Communities were well resourced and assisted in having the equipment they needed to remain safe, protected and out of harm’s way.

“Collaboration and partnerships with our communities support aboriginal education from the ground up and ensures connection to and between local schools, family and communities in decision making about aboriginal education.”

The responsiveness of SINSW staff to ensure the Connected Communities schools were and are structured to deliver teaching and learning in creative and innovative ways was also acknowledged by students, their families and their Communities as well as school staff.

Today’s ceremony included performances from talented Aboriginal students and keynote addresses from the Hon. Sarah Mitchell, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning, who congratulated todays award recipients.

“As Minister for Education I sincerely thank everyone for their tireless work for supporting aboriginal education in our NSW Public Schools and I extend my warmest congratulations to all award recipients today,” said Ms Mitchell.