Indigenous Education

Indigenous performance in education

Indigenous individuals have had a rough history, which until today, plays a detrimental role on their lives today. These historical and continuing problems play a barrier in education for the Indigenous while evidence highlights the education system failing the Indigenous. 

Exam results display the current knowledge and practice of students in Australia. The National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a yearly assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, testing literacy and numeracy skills. The exam results attained from indigenous students display an low amount of indigenous students ranked in the higher bands, with a high amount in the lower bands. These results have not improved over the four years since NAPLAN tests began in 2008. 

It was recorded that more than 80 percent of indigenous students of Queensland, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales attain the minimum national standards. While there are a high number who fail at essential literacy and/or numeracy exams. This high proportion of failure, results in Indigenous unemployment. 

Ferrari, J. (2012) Reforms failing to close the Indigenous gap. The Australian. Accessed 2nd October from http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/reforms-failing-to-close-indigenous-schools-gap/story-fn59nlz9-1226540025787

As evident in the graphs from, there is a large distinction between the Indigenous and non-Inidgenous results in meeting the national standard in the 2012 NAPLAN. This is so distinct that the very remote non-indigenous students, still outperform the metropolitan Indigenous students. As the indigenous are somewhat slowly improving, so are the non-indigenous leaving the gap present. This in turn shines a light on this vital issue, seeking the government to intervene in the education system, in particular the indigenous students/schools. 

The NAPLAN results highlighted that Queensland and Western Australia had the greatest improvement following the failure rates, contributing to Council of Australian Governments (COAG) goal to half the gap between Indigenous and non-indigenous students by 2018.

However the results are not near halving the gap. To further manifest dreadful education for the indigenous, many schools do not have a qualified teacher for all five days of school, therefore lack thorough lessons on literacy and numeracy. Also no full and proper curriculum is used in teaching. These residualised schools with poor teaching and poor performance, have a bad reputation towards employers, thus do not consider graduates qualified as employees, leading to more than an Indigenous issue, but also a national issue. 

Due to these poor outcomes, the government has implemented programs and funds in order to minimise the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous results. This includes scholarships, the COAG goals, various laws and bonus points for easier entry into university to further their education. 

This idea is evident in the 60 Minutes video 'Class Act', where three Indigenous students from bush communities, were given opportunities to education, through scholarship programs funded by the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation. This is to ensure the Indigenous students attain the same opportunities as state students, whilst providing them a chance to enter university, and attain successful careers. 

Therefore although there is a large gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, in terms of educational outcomes, the government has established goals and programs to minimise this gap and promote equity.

References

Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (2009) Class Act. 60 Minutes. [VIDEO FILE] Accessed  1st October from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF86I3ozW6U

Caddie Brain. (2013). No relationship between attendance and school performance. ABC news.[ONLINE] Accessed 30th September from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-19/nrn-naplan-school-attendance/4967690. 

Ferrari, J. (2012) Reforms failing to close the Indigenous gap. The Australian. Accessed 2nd October from http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/reforms-failing-to-close-indigenous-schools-gap/story-fn59nlz9-1226540025787


Holmes, N, (2013). Closing the gap on education. Dubbo Photo News.Accessed 29th September from http://dubbophotonews.com.au/index.php/dpn/categories/local-news/item/2373-closing-the-gap-on-education 

Smail, S. (2012) Calls to overhaul Indigenous education after poor NAPLAN results. ABC News [Online] Accessed 23rd October from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-19/calls-to-overhaul-indigenous-education-after-poor/4436172