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Issues

Indigenous Australians were responsible for the education of their children and young adults for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. Young children learnt about the environment, hunting and gathering, the rules of kinship and the spiritual realm through a combination of informal instruction and observation. Older children learnt through formal ritual instruction as part of the process of becoming an adult. Learning in ceremonial contexts was a life-long process.
Source: Schwab, J. & Sutherland, D. (2005). Education and Training. In Macquarie Atlas of Indigenous Australia. Arthur, B. & Morphy, F. (Eds). Macquarie Library Pty Ltd; Macquarie University. pg 194.

School attendance and retention
Regular attendance at school is integral to improving educational outcomes for Indigenous students. There was a 21.8% increase in Indigenous Preschool enrolments from 2001-2003, across both urban and rural areas. School enrolments also increased, as did tertiary study enrolments and participation in Apprenticeships. Overall attendance and retention rates in preschools improved, remained steady in primary school and declined in high school. In some cases this was matched by a decline in non-Indigenous rates so that the gaps between the two groups remained constant.
Source: National Report to Parliament on Indigenous Education and Training Part 1 (PDF), Department of Education, Science and Training (2003). Commonwealth of Australia.

Access to School
Regular attendance at school can be impacted by the distance a child has to travel. Proportionally more Indigenous Australians live in remote areas of the continent than other Australians. In these remote areas it can be difficult to access a school, simply because there are fewer of them. Approximately 26% of discrete Indigenous communities are located more than 50km from their nearest primary school (Schwab & Sutherland, 2005). As noted previously, attendance in the early primary years of school is relatively high and it declines in late primary and secondary years. Higher attendance is reported in urban areas than rural areas. Research shows that attendance is directly linked to school achievement. The low rates of attendance in rural areas is concerning.
Source: Schwab, J. & Sutherland, D. (2005). Education and Training. In Macquarie Atlas of Indigenous Australia. Arthur, B. & Morphy, F. (Eds). Macquarie Library Pty Ltd; Macquarie University. pg 195-198.

Literacy and Numeracy
The measure of school readiness of Indigenous children, in terms of literacy and numeracy within Government schools, has declined from 2001 – 2003. National benchmarking in literacy and numeracy for Yr 3 and Yr 5 children began in 1999. Results indicate that a significant number of Indigenous children are struggling with literacy and numeracy. Only 67%of Indigenous Yr 5 children reached the reading benchmark while 63% attained the numeracy mark. The results are significantly lower in the Northern Territory where many Indigenous children do not speak English as a first language.
The National Report to Parliament on Indigenous Education and Training (2003) providers report recommended strategies for improving literacy and numeracy outcomes including:
• Accurate evaluation of children’s literacy and numeracy skills;
• Regular monitoring of children’s literacy and numeracy skills and adapting programmes to accommodate any areas that need improvement;
• Providing literacy opportunities such as storytelling, reading, conversation, singing and listening; and
• Providing numeracy opportunities such as number concept work and involving parents in activities at school and home that promote numeracy skills.
Source: National Report to Parliament on Indigenous Education and Training, Department of Education, Science and Training (2003). Commonwealth of Australia.
Schwab, J. & Sutherland, D. (2005). Education and Training. In Macquarie Atlas of Indigenous Australia. Arthur, B. & Morphy, F. (Eds). Macquarie Library Pty Ltd; Macquarie University. pg 194.

Indigenous Participation in Higher Education
Indigenous students are under-represented in the higher education sector. Data from the Higher Education Statistics Collection show that Indigenous Australians comprised 1% of the total higher education population in 2003, with 9,000 students. This was the highest number of Indigenous higher education enrolments recorded between 1997 and 2003. However, the proportion of Indigenous students within the higher education population remained largely unchanged over this time period (at around 1%).
There was a notable gender imbalance among Indigenous higher education students in 2003, with females accounting for approximately two-thirds (63%) of all Indigenous students. As shown in graph, the gap between male and female enrolments has remained relatively unchanged since 1998.
3.6 Indigenous Higher Education Students - 1998-2003
4704.0 - The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, 2005