National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy facts for kids

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy (AEP) is an important plan for education in Australia. It was created by the Australian Government and is followed by all states and territories. This policy started in 1989 and helps guide education programs for all Indigenous Australians, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It aims to make sure they get a fair and good education.

Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Australian flags outside the Australian Parliament House, 2016.

How the AEP Started

The idea for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy has been developing since 1982. The first version of the policy focused on understanding and respecting Aboriginal cultures.

In 1988, a special group from the Australian Government helped create the AEP. It was officially launched in 1989. All states and territories agreed to put the policy into action by 1990.

This policy was created because a group called the Ministerial Council for Education, Employment and Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) saw a need. They wanted to improve how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students did in school. In 1995, MCEETYA set new goals for Indigenous education. These goals included:

• Making education culturally welcoming for all students.
• Improving how often students attended school.
• Helping more students stay in school.
• Increasing the number of students who finished school.

A review in 1993 showed that things were getting better in some areas. More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students were taking part in education and training. However, the improvements were not the same everywhere in Australia.

By 1996, the AEP focused on three main areas:

• Aboriginal students.
• Aboriginal communities.
• All school staff, students, and schools.

In 2003, the New South Wales (NSW) Government checked how well the policy was working. This led to a new partnership with the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG) Inc. This partnership helped make sure the policy was put into practice in NSW. From 2006 to 2008, the AEP was part of a bigger plan called the Aboriginal Education and Training Strategy.

Indigenous Education Act 2000

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy is connected to a law called the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000. This law allows money to be given to schools and other groups. This money helps support Indigenous students, for example, through programs like ABSTUDY.

The law aims to make education fair and suitable for Indigenous people. Some of its main goals are:

• Making sure Indigenous children can go to preschool.
• Encouraging all Indigenous students to attend school regularly.
• Ensuring fair results for all students.
• Helping more students graduate.
• Keeping Indigenous languages alive in schools.
• Improving reading and writing skills.
• Teaching about Indigenous cultures in education.

Main Goals of the AEP

In 1989, the AEP set 21 long-term goals. These goals were all about making education fair for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

A report in 1991 from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody highlighted the importance of the AEP. It said that the policy could help Indigenous people have more say over their schools and education services. The report also pointed out that the education system had not always created fair opportunities for Aboriginal Australians. It noted that education and training issues played a role in why too many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians ended up in custody.

The AEP has four main goals, which are part of the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000. These goals are:

• Getting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people involved in decisions about education.
• Making sure everyone has equal access to education services.
• Ensuring fair participation in education.
• Achieving fair and suitable education results.

These goals were supported by the Australian Government and all states and territories.

Getting Indigenous People Involved in Education Decisions

This goal focuses on making sure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a voice in their children's education.

1. Helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities take part in planning, delivering, and checking school services for their children.
2. Increasing the number of Indigenous people who work as school leaders, teachers, and curriculum advisors.
3. Encouraging more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to be involved in planning and checking school services.
4. Increasing the number of Indigenous people working in education jobs.
5. Helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people gain skills through education and training to make decisions about education.
6. Creating ways to get advice from independent advisors from Indigenous communities on education decisions at all levels.

Equal Access to Education Services

This goal is about making sure all Indigenous children can get to good schools and learning programs.

Fair Participation in Education

This goal aims for Indigenous students to take part in education at similar rates to other Australians.

Fair and Suitable Education Results

This goal is about making sure Indigenous students achieve good results and learn important skills.

Education Programs in Action

Between 2005 and 2009, several programs received funding under the Indigenous Education Program.

Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Building (AIATS).

Supplementary Recurrent Assistance (SRA)

The SRA program provides extra money to schools and education providers. This money is given based on the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The goal is to improve things like:

• Reading and writing skills.
• Maths skills.
• Getting more Indigenous students into education and training jobs.
• Overall education results.
• Student enrolments.
• Getting families and communities involved in education decisions.
• Making education culturally welcoming.

This funding is extra money, on top of what schools already get. For example, Charles Darwin University and Bachelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education students can get SRA funding.

Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS)

The ITAS-Tertiary Tuition (ITAS-TT) program started in 1989. It grew out of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy. ITAS-TT gave money to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with their studies. In 2016–2017, the Australian government changed the name to the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS).

Whole of School Initiatives (WoSI)

The WoSI program helps schools create better opportunities for Indigenous students. It works through programs like the Parent School Partnership Initiative and Homework Centres. For example, in 2007, funding helped homework centres, preschool programs, and cultural programs in schools in the ACT.

Away-from-base for Mixed-Mode Delivery (AFB)

The AFB program helps Indigenous Australians access education, especially those in remote areas. It supports students who need to study away from home for their courses. AFB can help with travel costs, meals, and accommodation.

In 2018, there were two main AFB programs: ABSTUDY AFB and PM&C’s AFB. ABSTUDY AFB helps students with their high school and vocational courses. PM&C's AFB gives financial support to eligible training providers and universities.

English as a Second Language for Indigenous Language Speaking Students (ESL-ILSS)

The ESL-ILSS program helps students who speak an Indigenous language and are learning English. It provides funding to bridge language gaps in formal education. The Far North Queensland Indigenous Schooling Support Unit (FNQ ISSU) helps run this program. They know that some Indigenous students starting school have a language barrier that makes it hard to learn in English.

Students can get support if they:

• Speak an Indigenous language.
• Are assessed as having a low level of English speaking ability.
• Are starting formal schooling for the first time.
• Have not received this payment before.

Indigenous Youth Leadership Program (IYLP)

The Indigenous Youth Leadership Program (IYLP) is funded by the Australian Government. It helps young Indigenous people reach their education goals through scholarships and leadership chances. Organizations like The Smith Family and Wilderness School work together to offer these scholarships.

Indigenous Youth Mobility Program (IYMP)

The Indigenous Youth Mobility Program (IYMP) helps young Indigenous Australians from remote areas with their education after high school. The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) funds this program. In 2019, 249 young people took part across Australia, with 216 finishing higher education.

IYMP helps overcome challenges that make it hard for Indigenous students in remote areas to get education and jobs. In 2019, IYMP supported 144 communities, with 90% of students coming from remote regions.

IYMP has several goals to help students in remote areas. These include:

• Making it easier to access job and training centres.
• Increasing chances for certified training.
• Helping more Indigenous people get jobs that their community needs.
• Supporting the economy of rural communities by giving students skills for formal employment.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Strategy 2015

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Strategy 2015 builds on earlier plans to improve education for Australian First Nation students. This strategy has important guidelines for schools and education providers. These guidelines help them create welcoming education environments. They include:

• Increasing the chances for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to succeed.
• Ensuring fair access to the same education opportunities and results as other Australians.
• Making education providers accountable and open about their work.
• Respecting and recognizing the cultures, histories, and languages of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Building relationships that value community culture and knowledge.
• Using local approaches within communities.
• Providing quality education that meets the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

There are seven main focus areas for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education. These are leadership, quality teaching, workforce development, culture and identity, partnerships, school and child readiness, transition points for post-school life, reading and writing skills, and attendance.

National Report on Indigenous Education

A major report, the National Report to Parliament on Indigenous Education and Training, was given to the Parliament of Australia in 2003. Since then, research has shown that it can be complex and challenging to meet these goals. For example, educational materials that focus only on European ideas might make it harder for First Nation people to have equal education experiences and results.