Bharathi Academy, a non profit organisation, was formed in 1994 in Melbourne, Australia, to promote the Tamil language and culture.

The Academy conducts Tamil language lessons at the following campuses:
East Burwood (Forest Hill College, on Sundays)
Dandenong (Cleland Secondary College on Sundays)
Clayton (Neighbourhood House on Saturdays)
Reservoir (Merrilands Community Centre on Saturdays)

LOTE French lessons are also offered in East Burwood and Dandenong.

The Academy is proud to be one of the first few leading ethnic schools in the state of Victoria to be fully accredited by the Department of Education & Training. The Academy is also an accredited provider of LOTE Tamil for the VCE.

Bharathi Academy, over the years, has earned a reputation for the quality of its language classes and its innovative approach to language teaching. The campuses are managed with professionalism and dedication by a management team passionate about the objectives of the Academy. Full time administration personnel are engaged at the campuses who ensure that processes and procedures are followed all the time, particularly in the interest of the safety and welfare of children. Curriculum Coordinator and the Assistant Coordinator of the Academy make sure that the language programs are delivered in all campuses uniformly and with the highest quality.

Students can join Tamil language classes from the age of 3. Earlier they join is obviously the better. An early start will particularly help in developing their speaking skills, an area which receives a lot of attention at Bharathi Academy.

Bharathi Academy provides its students an excellent, friendly, supportive and secure learning environment. It is a goal of the Academy to guide, motivate and challenge students so that every student reaches his or her maximum learning potential. Good values, good behaviour, mutual respect and discipline are actively promoted.

Bharathi Academy, with its large student population and emphasis on values, is an ideal place for children to meet other children from the community and make life long friendships.

We recognise that not every student aspires to sit for the VCE Tamil examination. There are two distinct groups with different aims in learning Tamil, and we consciously treat and cater for these groups separately. We take a very pragmatic view on this question. Our fundamental approach is to first teach all the students functional Tamil. That is, the Tamil they need for every day communication. This is the Tamil they need, to speak to their parents and grandparents, write letters to relatives overseas or read a little piece of information while travelling in India, Sri Lanka or Singapore. We do not expect these children to master our literature nor memorise bits and pieces of difficult, ancient Tamil poetry. Students who aim at the VCE examination are guided and encouraged to learn more sophisticated Tamil.

Want to be a teacher?: If you are interested in becoming a Tamil language teacher, please apply using the details given in the 'Contact us' section. We will provide you with the necessary training.