MEDIA RELEASE
(Embargoed until 10:30am AEST Monday, 5 April)
$14 MILLION TO IMPROVE INDIGENOUS STUDENT LITERACY
5 April 2004 IND 2
The Howard Government will provide $14 million over 2005-2008 to continue the
work in improving Indigenous literacy levels, through a unique teaching
programme that targets those Indigenous students most in need.
The programme, Scaffolding Literacy, utilises a structured approach to
teaching and has proven to be especially effective in assisting students in
remote areas.
A pilot programme, which included remote schools in SA and WA, showed that on
entry, only 4% of Years 1-3 students could read independently at, or above, a
Year 1 level and 96% of students had insufficient literacy skills to take part
in class-room lessons.
At the end of the programme, 60% were able to read independently. Similarly
impressive improvements were achieved by students in Years 4-6 and Year 7 and
above.
An independent evaluation by the Australian Council for Educational Research
of the Scaffolding Literacy pilots concluded that:
- The results of introducing Scaffolding procedures were ‘little
short of sensational’
- The changes were ‘always solid, always upward and often spectacular’
- Scaffolding ‘works’ with regard to students' personal development –
behavioural, attitudinal and motivational
- Scaffolding can be done anywhere
- The programme had the full participation and support of the Indigenous
communities.
Today’s announcement includes an $8 million commitment for 2005-2008 from the
Howard Government to work with the Northern Territory Government in a
system-wide rollout of the Scaffolding Literacy approach.
Funding will be used to develop resources and train 700 teachers to implement
the Scaffolding programme and to target 10,000 high-need Indigenous students
(90% of whom are in remote areas) in 100 Territory schools.
As part of this commitment, the Howard Government will also continue its
support for current Scaffolding partnership pilots in other parts of the
country with a $6 million allocation for 2005-2008.
Improving the educational outcomes for Indigenous students, particularly
those in remote areas, remains an important commitment of the Howard Government
and we will continue working towards closing the educational divide between
Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.
Media Contacts:
Dr Nelson’s Office: Ross Hampton 0419 484 095
Dept of Education, Science & Training: Laila Lacis 0412 040 034
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