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The gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and general student attainment in ACT public schools shows the institutions are continuing to fail Indigenous students, a leading Indigenous education expert says. Less than a quarter of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in ACT public schools received a tertiary entrance statement at the end of Year 12 last year, about half the rate of the general school population. Only 77 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander public school students in Year 10 went on to public secondary education, compared to 93 per cent of the general Year 10 cohort. Emeritus Professor John Lester said the figures, revealed in the ACT education directorate’s annual report, were particularly scary because Indigenous communities in the ACT were among the least disadvantaged in the country. “We’re talking about a cohort of community members who are generally among the best educated among Indigenous people and they’re still not performing, and their kids are still not performing,” Professor Lester said. Professor Lester said quality teaching and personalised learning plans were key to improving outcomes for Indigenous students. “There’s no magic panacea. The panacea is quality teaching and that’s something all schools should be achieving,” he said. Twenty-two per cent of Year 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students achieved a tertiary entrance statement in 2019, beating a target of 20 per cent. The target for the wider student population is 50 per cent, with 46 per cent of students receiving an entrance statement in 2019. “While ever we have low expectations, we’ll get low results. I’d be disgusted putting up that as an option,” Professor Lester said. The directorate’s report said the small number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students meant changes in circumstances for a very small number of students could drive large percentage variations. The results must be interpreted with caution, the report said. Professor Lester, who is a life member of NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and was the director of Aboriginal education training in the NSW education department, said his research found schools generally failed Aboriginal students in the first five years. “The information from the ACT is that it doesn’t matter if they come from rich, educated employed groups of community … schools still can’t get the results,” he said. Professor Lester said preschool initiatives had been positive but engagement needed to continue through primary school to ensure Indigenous students would stay on for high school. “When you look at it, it’s not a big job for somewhere like the ACT. … In a school with half a dozen Aboriginal kids, which would be fairly common in the ACT, the school could make that happen. They’ve got the resources,” he said. A spokeswoman for Education Minister Yvette Berry said the ACT government was committed to supporting educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in the ACT. “The education directorate is working with high schools and colleges to strengthen transition programs and activities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander year 10 students. Colleges and their neighbouring high schools have processes and programs in place to support successful transitions. [Vocational education and training] pathways also provide options for year 10 students and encourage them to continue their education,” the spokeswoman said. The spokeswoman said the year 12 tertiary entrance attainment results for Indigenous students reflected student choice in a small cohort of students. “Students often choose alternate pathways to university study, or choose not to pursue a university education, for example, choosing an accredited (not tertiary) package,” she said. The education directorate expanded the Koori Preschool program for four-year-old Indigenous children from 12 hours to 15 hours a week. The report said the program provides play based programs emphasising cultural connection and identity. “Early entry is also available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to enroll in a mainstream preschool up to six months earlier than their same age cohort,” the directorate’s annual report said. The report said public schools received funding to support Indigenous students and “embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and perspectives throughout the curriculum”. “A significant amount has been achieved during the reporting period in continuing to strengthen cultural integrity within our schools and supporting services. The Directorate is committed to supporting all students to ensure they have a safe and supportive environment in which to learn,” the report said. In February, there were 2645 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students enrolled in ACT schools, a jump of 4.7 per cent from the previous year.
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The gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and general student attainment in ACT public schools shows the institutions are continuing to fail Indigenous students, a leading Indigenous education expert says.
Less than a quarter of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in ACT public schools received a tertiary entrance statement at the end of Year 12 last year, about half the rate of the general school population.
Only 77 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander public school students in Year 10 went on to public secondary education, compared to 93 per cent of the general Year 10 cohort.
Emeritus Professor John Lester said the figures, revealed in the ACT education directorate’s annual report, were particularly scary because Indigenous communities in the ACT were among the least disadvantaged in the country.
“We’re talking about a cohort of community members who are generally among the best educated among Indigenous people and they’re still not performing, and their kids are still not performing,” Professor Lester said.
Professor Lester said quality teaching and personalised learning plans were key to improving outcomes for Indigenous students.
“There’s no magic panacea. The panacea is quality teaching and that’s something all schools should be achieving,” he said.
Twenty-two per cent of Year 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students achieved a tertiary entrance statement in 2019, beating a target of 20 per cent. The target for the wider student population is 50 per cent, with 46 per cent of students receiving an entrance statement in 2019.
“While ever we have low expectations, we’ll get low results. I’d be disgusted putting up that as an option,” Professor Lester said.
The directorate’s report said the small number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students meant changes in circumstances for a very small number of students could drive large percentage variations. The results must be interpreted with caution, the report said.
Professor Lester, who is a life member of NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and was the director of Aboriginal education training in the NSW education department, said his research found schools generally failed Aboriginal students in the first five years.
“The information from the ACT is that it doesn’t matter if they come from rich, educated employed groups of community … schools still can’t get the results,” he said.
Professor Lester said preschool initiatives had been positive but engagement needed to continue through primary school to ensure Indigenous students would stay on for high school.
“When you look at it, it’s not a big job for somewhere like the ACT. … In a school with half a dozen Aboriginal kids, which would be fairly common in the ACT, the school could make that happen. They’ve got the resources,” he said.
A spokeswoman for Education Minister Yvette Berry said the ACT government was committed to supporting educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in the ACT.
“The education directorate is working with high schools and colleges to strengthen transition programs and activities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander year 10 students. Colleges and their neighbouring high schools have processes and programs in place to support successful transitions. [Vocational education and training] pathways also provide options for year 10 students and encourage them to continue their education,” the spokeswoman said.
The spokeswoman said the year 12 tertiary entrance attainment results for Indigenous students reflected student choice in a small cohort of students.
“Students often choose alternate pathways to university study, or choose not to pursue a university education, for example, choosing an accredited (not tertiary) package,” she said.
The education directorate expanded the Koori Preschool program for four-year-old Indigenous children from 12 hours to 15 hours a week. The report said the program provides play based programs emphasising cultural connection and identity.
“Early entry is also available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to enroll in a mainstream preschool up to six months earlier than their same age cohort,” the directorate’s annual report said.
The report said public schools received funding to support Indigenous students and “embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and perspectives throughout the curriculum”.
“A significant amount has been achieved during the reporting period in continuing to strengthen cultural integrity within our schools and supporting services. The Directorate is committed to supporting all students to ensure they have a safe and supportive environment in which to learn,” the report said.
In February, there were 2645 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students enrolled in ACT schools, a jump of 4.7 per cent from the previous year.
The gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and general student attainment in ACT public schools shows the institutions are continuing to fail Indigenous students, a leading Indigenous education expert says. Picture: Shutterstock
