The future of an independent Indigenous school in Alice Springs is under a cloud after just 50 students turned up to class on Thursday, down from a peak enrolment of 360 in December last year.

Staff at Yipirinya School were told on Wednesday between 15 and 20 of them would be made redundant after plunging enrolments left the school $3.7 million in debt to the federal government.

Former staff member Rhonda Inkamala, whose grandchildren now attend the school, said it would "not survive without these staff".

"These staff have been employed for many years now, and have been with those children since they started pre-school," she said.

" They've nurtured them … seen them grow. "

Ms Inkamala said the school provided breakfast and a bus service, a lifeline for students who would otherwise

See Full Page