The classes for primary school-aged students will be held at Amaroo Primary School for Noongar youngsters from Amaroo, Fairview and Wilson Park.

Classes will start in the second week of next term and run from 3pm until 4.30pm.

One of the organisers, Christina Ugle said parents and students would be involved.

“The main thing is for indigenous parents of the importance of education with Aboriginal students,” she said.

Ngalang Boodja Council public officer Louis Evans said the emphasis would be on literacy and numeracy.

“There will also be language sessions, Aboriginal dancing and art and craft,” she said.

“The classes will also encourage parents to have more interaction with the school and their child’s education.

“Parents are going to be involved in working with small groups of children doing work and learning songs.

“There will be big focus on NAIDOC Day where the children will perform what they have learnt.

“There is a strong wish that the children will achieve higher in education and they will develop a great respect for their culture and their parents will become more involved in the school community.

“We also hope they will be supportive of the achievements by their children.”

Dr Evans said Collie Noongar students’ school attendance levels were good.

“But what we are seeing is that there are issues with numeracy and literacy skills,” she said.

“We hope to see improvements in those areas particularly so the students have the same opportunities as others.”

Seventy-six Noongar students would be involved, Dr Evans said.

“We are splitting them into two groups from years one to three and four to seven.”

Dr Evans said the plan is for the high school to become involved once classes were running smoothly at Amaroo.

Once classes were well underway, Dr Evans said non-Noongar children would be invited to take part.

“The other side of the project is that we want to share Noongar achievements with the wider communities,” she said.

“We will be inviting all school children to join everyone on excursions to the aqua farm (at Wesfarmers Premier Coal).”