Yipirinya School Returns to Community Control After Year of Administration

After a year of statutory oversight, Yipirinya School in Alice Springs has been returned to community governance, led by a newly formed nine-member committee. The school entered administration in July 2025 after severe financial issues and the charging of former principal Gavin Morris with assaulting students. Current principal Greg Hollis emphasizes a renewed focus on teaching, learning and increasing student numbers, which stand at roughly 186 with a 51 % attendance rate.

The institution will start servicing a $3.7 million debt owed to the federal government from the next financial year, with about $700,000 withheld from each year's funding to cover repayments over five years. Committee members, including Kumalie Kngwarraye and Kate Mar Fan, stress the need to rebuild trust and uphold Indigenous two-way learning traditions. The school aims to allocate resources efficiently to maximise educational outcomes while managing its fiscal obligations.