Mamarapha College has become the first institution of its size to receive a worldwide Seventh-day Adventist accreditation as a mid-tier institution in the South Pacific Division (SPD).
The visiting panel reviewing the application were unanimous in their decision, praising the presentation from Mamarapha College and their passion for mission in an education setting.
“This is a significant milestone for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministry (ATSIM),” said Mamarapha College principal Pastor David Garrard. “Being officially recognised as an Adventist institution by the world church acknowledges the quality and standard of the education and culture we provide.”
After deciding to pursue the accreditation in 2020, Pastor Garrard commenced working on various aspects of the application, collaborating closely with Adventist Schools Australia (ASA) and David McClintock, SPD education director, over the past nine months to complete the report.
Using the ASA Quality Adventist Schools framework as a basis, Mamarapha College has developed their own unique framework for continuous improvement and are committed to reviewing 15 areas of operation every five years.
These reviews will feed into a plan for continuous improvement in Adventist identity, culture and student outcomes and will help Mamarapha College as they strive to elevate how the college functions.
“Mamarapha College struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic, but like many churches and organisations within our church, they have come through even stronger,” explained Pastor Terry Johnson, Australian Union Conference president.
“They have pushed themselves into improving the College and taking their services to the next level.”
“We are extremely proud of the team at Mamarapha College, and we are delighted that the world church has recognised their accomplishments,” added Pastor Johnson.
As the College continues to make headway with the accreditation and expansion of their facilities, Pastor Garrard continues to focus on their priorities.
“Although we are looking forward to increasing enrollments and diversifying the courses we provide, we will continue to focus on our culture of mission and sharing God’s love, not only to our students but to their families and communities.”
