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Demographics

The proportion of Indigenous adults aged 18 years or over who had completed Year 12 increased from 10% in 1994 to 18% in 2002. Over the same period the proportion of Indigenous adults aged 25-64 years with a non-school qualification increased from 20% to 32%. Despite these gains in educational attainment, Indigenous adults still have lower levels of educational attainment than non-Indigenous adults. In 2002, 18% of Indigenous adults had completed Year 12 compared with 44% of non-Indigenous adults. Similarly, 32% of Indigenous adults aged 25-64 years had a non-school qualification compared with 57% of non-Indigenous adults.

Levels of Indigenous educational attainment declined with increasing geographic remoteness. In 2002, nearly one-quarter (24%) of Indigenous adults living in major cities had completed Year 12 compared with 18% of those living in regional areas and 14% in remote areas. Similarly, among Indigenous adults aged 25-64 years, 41% of those living in major cities had a non-school qualification compared with 32% in regional areas and 23% in remote areas.

The table here (PDF) provides an overview of educational attainment in 19994 and 2002 with comparisions to non-indigenous education attainment in 2002.

Further information

For further information and demographics on school enrolments, retention rates and participation in higher education is available from the ABS web site

The ABS Publication 4704.0 The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, 2005 also offers useful information and data on the link between educational attainment and better health outcomes. Hearing loss (Otitis Media) and poor nutrition and the detrimental effect on Indigenous educational outcomes, is explored in depth. It is available from the ABS