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MEDIA RELEASE
CONTINUING OUR COMMITMENT TO INDIGENOUS LEARNING
11 May 2004 MINBUD 14/04
The Australian Government’s ninth Budget continues its commitment
to improving opportunities for Indigenous students in pre-school,
schooling, training and higher education with $484.8 million in
funding for 2004-05. This represents an increase of $18.3 million or
4% over the current financial year.
This highlights the Australian Government’s continued commitment
to reducing the gap in education outcomes between Indigenous and
non-Indigenous people.
Significant progress has been made in improving the education
outcomes for Indigenous students. Since 1996 Year 12 retention for
Indigenous students has increased from 29% to 38% and Years 3 and 5
literacy and numeracy results are the best ever against five of the
six national benchmarks. Indigenous enrolments in vocational
education and training have increased 85% to 59,763 and there has
been a 37% increase in Indigenous students undertaking a Bachelor or
higher degree.
However, unacceptable disadvantage remains. Whilst Year 12
retention rates have risen to record levels, they are still only
half that of non-Indigenous Australians. Although national literacy
and numeracy benchmark results are the best to date, they are still
well below the non-Indigenous rate, particularly in remote areas.
Funding in 2004-05 for Indigenous education is provided through
the:
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Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Study Assistance Scheme (ABSTUDY) (an
estimated $201.2 million)
This is a major component of the Australian Government’s
commitment to Indigenous equity. It assists Indigenous students at
secondary and tertiary levels by providing income support and
supplementary benefits to address the historical disadvantages
they face in education.
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Indigenous Education
Strategic Initiatives Programme (IESIP) ($184.2 million)
The IESIP programme provides supplementary recurrent funding on a
per-student basis to independent pre-schools, government and
non-government schools and independent vocational and educational
training institutions. IESIP is focused on improving Indigenous
literacy and numeracy for Indigenous students, increasing
Indigenous enrolments and attendance, increasing the involvement
of Indigenous people in education, and providing culturally
inclusive education. More than 165,000 full-time equivalent
students will attract per capita funding of $120.9 million over
the next 12 months.
IESIP also funds national strategies such as the coalition of
school principals’ ‘Dare to Lead’ initiative and the National
Indigenous English Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. Importantly,
assistance to continue the whole-of-government initiatives in remote
Indigenous communities, such as Murdi Paaki, is also provided
through this programme.
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Indigenous Education
Direct Assistance Programme (IEDA) ($67.7 million)
The IEDA programme supports tutors for Indigenous students and
supports students and parents at school and in training. Over the
next 12 months, more than 18,000 students will be assisted through
this programme. Homework centres in communities that face a very
difficult educational environment are also funded through IEDA.
-
Indigenous Support
Fund Programme ($27.1 million)
An increase of some $2 million over the next financial year will
enable institutions to invest further in initiatives designed to
increase the participation and success of more than 8,000
Indigenous students in higher education.
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Indigenous VET
Infrastructure Programme ($4 million)
Subject to the approval of the Australian National Training
Authority Ministerial Council, $4 million will be allocated to
improve vocational education and training for Indigenous people.
Funds are used to support a range of projects such as purchase of
mobile training units and equipment and construction of training
centres.
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Indigenous Higher
Education Advisory Council ($0.4 million)
During the next twelve months, the Council will provide me with
advice to further improve outcomes for Indigenous students and
staff in terms of their participation, progression, and retention
in both study and employment in higher education.
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Indigenous Staff
Scholarships ($0.2 million)
Over the next twelve months, five national scholarships will be
awarded to Indigenous staff in higher education to take one year
of leave from their university employment to undertake full-time
higher education study.
From January 2005, the shape and direction of the Indigenous
education programmes outlined above will change significantly. These
changes, along with the funding for Indigenous education for 2005 to
2008, were announced on April 5 this year. While the programmes will
retain their names and broad objectives, they have been restructured
in order to redirect funding to initiatives that have been
demonstrated to work and to put a greater weighting of funding
towards Indigenous students of greatest disadvantage – those in
remote areas. Important conditions, including attendance benchmarks,
will be attached to the funding for the restructured programs. For
details of the 2005-08 package, refer to
http://www.dest.gov.au/ministers/nelson/budget.htm
Media Contacts:
Dr Nelson’s Office: Ross Hampton 0419 484 095
Dept of Education, Science & Training: Virginia Cook 0412 971 323
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