The Australian National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy (AEP) is a national policy adopted by the Government of Australia by each State and Territory government. The policy was first introduced in 1989 and is the foundation of education programs for all Indigenous Australians. [1]
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy has been redeveloped and reimagined since 1982, with the first Aboriginal Education Policy focusing on the appreciation of Aboriginal cultures and societies. [2]
In 1988, a Commonwealth Government Task Force informed the development of the National Aboriginal Education Policy (AEP), launching the policy in 1989. [3] The policy was officially actioned in 1990, with endorsement by the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments.
The policy was a response to the Ministerial Council for Education, Employment and Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) recognition of the need to improve educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. [4] In 1995, the MCEETYA meeting reestablished numerous priority areas for Aboriginal Australians education. [3] The commonwealth supported the performance targets established by the MCEETYA, which included: [3]
In 1993, a national review indicated that several areas of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students education had been improved. [3] The areas of improvement included participation and outcomes for education and training. However, the review noted that improvements were inconsistent across states and territories. [3]
In 1996, the Aboriginal Education Policy (AEP) had three main focus areas. Which included: [2]
- Aboriginal students
- Aboriginal communities
- All staff, students and schools A review of the policy was conducted in 2003 by the NSW Government for the effectiveness of the Aboriginal education and training for Aboriginal students in NSW. This led to a new partnership with the NSW AECG Inc, in order to ensure the implementation of the policy in NSW. [2] In 2006–2008, the Aboriginal Education Policy has been actioned within the Aboriginal Education and Training Strategy. [2]
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education policy is associated with the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000 . [5] The act enables agreements to be made between education providers and other persons or bodies for the purpose of assisted payments, i.e. ABSTUDY. [5] Education providers may include the state or territory; university or post-secondary education institution; person or body conducting an educational system; and/or a person qualified to conduct research on education. [5] The legislation outlines several aims for achieving equitable and appropriate educational outcomes for Indigenous people. These can be summarised through preschool education; compulsory attendance; equitability measures to ensure fair outcomes amongst students; equity in graduation rates; continuation of Indigenous languages in education contexts; initiatives to increase numeracy and literacy levels; and education that explores the culture of Indigenous people. [6]
In 1989, several goals were established by the AEP in achieving the objectives of the policy. These include twenty one long-term goals based around achieving equitable outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
In 1991, the Report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody emphasised the importance of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy as a way of ensuring greater control over educational institutions and services. [3] The report outlines the inadequacies of the formal education system in creating equitable foundations for Aboriginal Australians educational outcomes. [3] The report noted that, education and training factors to the disproportionate overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in custody. [3]
There are four overarching goals of the AEP, which are legislated under the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000, No. 147, 2000. [6] These goals are:
The goals were endorsed by The Commonwealth of Australia, The State of New South Wales, The State of Queensland, The State of South Australia, The State of Tasmania, The State of Victoria, The State of Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory, and Northern Territory. [7]
Between 2005 and 2009, several programs have been funded under the Indigenous Education Program, including: [9]
The Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000, No. 147, 2000 mandated SRA payments through the Indigenous Supplementary Assistance (ISA) organisation in 2009. In 2020, the Northern Territory Government committed to SRA payments for public vocational education providers. [10] The financial resources are allocated based on Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander student numbers. [10] The SRA payments aim to improve the following areas for First Nation students: [10]
The payments are aimed to be supplementary to funding currently in place. [10] The SRA funding is available for Charles Darwin University and Bachelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education students. [10]
The Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme-Tertiary Tuition (ITAS-TT) was established in 1989, emerging from the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy. ITAS-TT provided funding to support study for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. [11] In 2016–2017, the Australian government renamed the ITAS-TT program to the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS) [11]
The former governing body of the Whole of School Initiatives (WoSI) was the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) replaced the former body in funding the WoSI program. [12]
The WoSI operates through the Parent School Partnership Initiative and Homework Centres, in increasing opportunities for First Nation peoples education. [12]
In 2007, various proposals were funded in ACT, including Melba High School cluster homework centre, the Koori Preschool programs in Calwell and Wanniassa and the Black Mountain School cultural program. [12]
The away-from-base for mixed-mode delivery (AFB) program provides increased access to educational opportunities for Indigenous Australians, particularly in rural and remote areas. [13] AFB supports Indigenous students to study compulsory course requirements in another location away from home. [13] AFB assists students through travel costs, meals and accommodation [13]
In 2018, the two AFB programs on offer included ABSTUDY AFB assistance and PM&C’S AFB assistance. ABSTUDY assistance is administered by the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Department of Social Security (DSS). The program supports students through their secondary education and VET courses. The PM&C's AFB provides financial support to eligible non-for-profit training providers and universities on an average funding rate per full-time equivalent student. [14]
The Far North Queensland Indigenous Schooling Support Unit (FNQ ISSU) govern operations for individuals in the ESL-ILSS program. [15] Through the FNQ ISSU organisation, individuals in the ESL-ISS program had access to funding that bridged language gaps in formal education systems. FNQ ISSU acknowledge that “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in their first year of formal schooling have been assessed as having a language barrier… prevent[ing] them from effective participation in the classroom in English” [paraphrased] [15]
Students are eligible for support if they meet the following criteria:
The Indigenous Youth Leadership Program (IYLP) is funded by the Australian Government. IYLP assists Indigenous youth in attaining their education goals through scholarships and leadership opportunities. The Smith Family and Wilderness School work collaboratively in granting scholarship opportunities for potential students to be eligible for the IYLP. [16]
The Indigenous Youth Mobility Program (IYMP) assist young Indigenous Australians living in remote locations with their post-secondary education. [17] The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) fund the IYMP program. [17] In 2019 there were 249 participants nation-wide, with 216 of those completing higher education. [17]
IYMP assist Indigenous students through adhering to the barriers that hinder accessibility to education and employment for First Nation students living in remote locations. [17] In 2019, there were 144 communities across the nation that IYMP provided support for, with 90% of participants being from remote regions. [17]
IYMP have various objectives aimed towards bridging the gap in education barriers for students living remotely. This includes: [17]
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Strategy 2015 builds on previous action plans for improving education for Australian First Nation students. The education strategy has a variety of principles, establishing the yardstick for education systems and providers to measure their approaches to inclusive education. This includes: [18]
There are seven priority areas for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education. These priority areas include leadership, quality teaching, workforce development culture and identity; partnerships; school and child readiness; transition points for post-school life; literacy and numeracy; and attendance. [18]
A major report, the National Report to Parliament on Indigenous Education and Training [19] was presented to the Parliament of Australia in 2003. Since 2003, research has identified complexities and challenges in meeting these goals. For example, Euro-centric educational materials may hamper equality of educational participation and outcomes of First Nation people. [20]
Education in Australia encompasses the sectors of early childhood education (preschool) and primary education, followed by secondary education, and finally tertiary education, which includes higher education and vocational education. Regulation and funding of education is primarily the responsibility of the States and territories; however, the Australian Government also plays a funding role.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) (1990–2005) was the Australian Government body through which Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were formally involved in the processes of government affecting their lives, established under the Hawke government in 1990. A number of Indigenous programs and organisations fell under the overall umbrella of ATSIC.
Lowitja Lois O'Donoghue Smart, is an Aboriginal Australian retired public administrator. In 1990-1996 she was the inaugural chairperson of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC). She is patron of the Lowitja Institute, a research institute for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing.
Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education provides training and further education, and higher education for Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. It is based in Kungarakany and Awarai country, in Batchelor, Northern Territory in Australia.
The Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership, also known as the Cape York Institute, is an Australian public policy organisation which researches and implements welfare reforms to reduce social inequalities between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous peoples living in Cape York. The Cape York Institute was founded by lawyer, academic and Indigenous welfare advocate Noel Pearson. Established in July 2004, the organisation was developed in collaboration with the people of Cape York and Griffith University. The Institute prepares reports and submissions to the Australian Federal Government, identifying priority areas of welfare and economic reform to restore social norms within the Cape York communities. To deliver welfare and economic reform, the Institute engages with a number of partner organisations including the Cape York Partnerships, Family Responsibilities Commission, Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation and the Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy. The Cape York Institute receives Commonwealth and Queensland State Government funding to support Welfare Reform Projects in areas of Indigenous education, employment, families and housing.
The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) is the peak representative body for postgraduate students in Australia. CAPA's members are 33 postgraduate associations and the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Postgraduate Association (NATSIPA). CAPA provides member associations with representation to the Federal government, and peak bodies such as the Australian Research Council and Universities Australia, on issues affecting postgraduate students in Australia. In 2017, Australia had over 400,000 postgraduate students, representing one quarter of all tertiary students in Australia.
An outstation, homeland or homeland community is a very small, often remote, permanent community of Aboriginal Australian people connected by kinship, on land that often, but not always, has social, cultural or economic significance to them, as traditional land. The outstation movement or homeland movement refers to the voluntary relocation of Aboriginal people from towns to these locations.
The NAISDA Dance College is a performing arts training college based in Kariong, New South Wales for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. It was established as the Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Scheme (AISDS) in 1975, which became the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA) in 1988. The date of establishment of the college is usually cited as 1976, although some sources report it as 1975.
Performing arts education in Australia refers to the teaching of different styles of creative activity that are performed publicly. The performing arts in Australia encompasses many disciplines including music, dance, theatre, musical theatre, circus arts and more. Performing arts education in Australia occurs both formally and informally at all levels of education, including in schools, tertiary institutions and other specialist institutions. There is also a growing body of evidence, from the Australian Council for the Arts and the Parliament of Australia, showing that First Nation's participation in the arts and culture has significant economic, social and cultural benefits to Australia and further supports the outcomes of the Australian governments ‘Closing the Gap’ campaign. There has been an increasing number of scholarships opening up in educational institutions for Indigenous Australians aimed at encouraging this participation in the arts.
A community legal centre (CLC) is the Australian term for an independent not-for-profit organisation providing legal aid services, that is, provision of assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. They provide legal advice and traditional casework for free, primarily funded by federal, state and local government. Working with clients who are mostly the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in Australian society, they also work with other agencies to address related problems, including financial, social and health issues. Their functions may include campaigning for law reform and developing community education programs.
Mick Miller was a notable Aboriginal Australian activist, politician, and statesman who campaigned for most of his life seeking greater social justice, land rights, and improved life opportunities for Aboriginal Australians in North Queensland and the rest of Australia.
The Department of Social Security was a government department in Australia, which administered the Social Security system between 1972 and 1998. The department was one of several new departments established by the Whitlam government and was managed by the Minister for Social Security.
The Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) is an Australian federal government statutory authority with national responsibilities to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to acquire land and to manage assets to achieve cultural, social, environmental and economic benefits for Indigenous peoples and future generations. It was established as the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) following the enactment of the Native Title Act 1993.
The Wollotuka Institute is a unit within the University of Newcastle (Australia). It is a strategic and operational body which is responsible for all Indigenous activities of the University. The Institute was established in 1983 within the then Newcastle College of Advanced Education (NCAE) as a support program for Indigenous Australian students and was amalgamated into the University of Newcastle at the same time as the Hunter Institute of Higher Education. Wollotuka's all-Indigenous staff, overseen by an all-Indigenous Board of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education and Training, make it unique among Australian higher education Indigenous units and well respecting throughout Australia. 'Wollotuka' means "eating and meeting place" in the Awabakal language. Links with the Awabakal people and their land have been cited as a factor attracting academics to the university.
Indigenous health in Australia examines health and wellbeing indicators of Indigenous Australians compared with the rest of the population. Statistics indicate that Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders are much less healthy than other Australians. Various government strategies have been put into place to try to remediate the problem; there has been some improvement in several areas, but statistics between Indigenous Australians and the rest of the Australian population still show unacceptable levels of difference.
The Closing the Gap framework is an Australian government strategy that aims to reduce disparity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians on key health, education and economic opportunity targets. The strategy was launched in 2008 in response to the Close the Gap social justice movement, and revised in 2020 with additional targets and a refreshed strategy.
Ngalla Maya is a Western Australian non-profit organisation benefiting Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders newly released from prison. The organisation mentors and trains newly released prisoners and helps them find employment. The ex-prisoner population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is at high risk of committing suicide. As of May 2016 the organisation receives no funding from the Government of Australia, but is wholly community supported.
The Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) is the peak national body that represents, advocates for and supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives in Australia. The organisation is located in Canberra, in the ACT.
Pat Turner is an Aboriginal Australian of Gudanji-Arrernte heritage who has worked as a civil administrator for policies which guarantee the right to self-determination for Indigenous people. She was awarded the Order of Australia in 1990 for her service.
The Indigenous ranger projects were introduced by the Australian Government in 2007 as part of its Working on Country program. Indigenous rangers are Indigenous Australians who combine traditional knowledge with conservation training in order to protect and manage their land, sea and culture. Many rangers are employed both in Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) and other parts of Australia, including the Torres Strait Islands and other islands. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women employed as rangers have reported benefits to wellbeing and as well as benefiting their own and the wider Australian community.
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