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Media Release
IMPROVING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
11 May 1999
The Government has made educational equity for Indigenous Australians a key national priority with the provision of almost $1 billion over five years to lift standards for Indigenous students with special needs, the Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Dr David Kemp announced today. As part of this year’s Budget, the Government has re-affirmed its commitment to substantially improve educational opportunities for Indigenous Australians and will put the resources needed into schools and educational institutions over the next five years to achieve a significant improvement in this area. "This funding commitment recognises that many Indigenous young Australians have fallen well behind the rest of the community in their literacy and numeracy levels," said Dr Kemp. "There is no doubt that through specific policies aimed at addressing the problems governments over the last decade have begun to make progress, but much remains to be done. The ‘Making A Difference: The impact of Australia’s indigenous education and training policy’ report undertaken by the NCVER shows that there has been "… enormous improvement in Indigenous access to and participation in all forms of education and training in Australia. Parity between indigenous and non-indigenous people is within sight in some sectors and amongst some age groups…" (p. ix). The report shows that retention rates to Year 12 for Indigenous students has risen from 12.3% in 1989 to 29.2% in 1996. "We must make the achievement of educational equality for Australia’s Indigenous peoples an urgent national priority. Australia’s education and training systems must provide sufficient choice and diversity in their infrastructure, curriculum, teaching and learning practices, and assessment and reporting arrangements to enable Indigenous people to choose from the same range of futures as other Australians," said Dr Kemp. Over the first three Howard budgets, spending on Indigenous education has increased by a total of $143 million. Funding for the Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Programme (IESIP) will total almost $130 million in 1999-2000. A number of changes will be made to streamline the programme’s administrative arrangements. Funding for the Indigenous Education Direct Assistance (IEDA) Programme in 1999-2000 will total some $62.3 million, up from $60.2 million in 1998-99. IEDA has three elements: the Aboriginal Tutorial Assistance Scheme, the Aboriginal Student Support and Parent Awareness Programme and the Vocational and Educational Guidance for Aboriginals Scheme. Two new strategies will also be introduced in this coming year - the National Indigenous English Literacy and Numeracy Strategy and the National Indigenous Students School Attendance Strategy. The additional funding for Indigenous students in need will be of special benefit to the education systems in the Northern Territory, Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, where the largest Indigenous population centres are. "There can be no doubt that improving the provision of education to Indigenous Australians, and achieving a significant improvement in educational achievements will empower Indigenous communities and individual Indigenous Australians to participate in our society to their full potential," said Dr Kemp. "The cause of true reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians will be furthered with this major contribution to Indigenous education in tonight’s budget. It highlights the Government’s approach in Indigenous affairs of focusing on and addressing the key areas of Indigenous disadvantage: in education, health and housing, thus arming Indigenous Australians with the tools they need to control their own destinies." Media contact: Samantha Herron 0412 639 754 or 02 6277 7460
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