Schooling

Schooling icon logo

Expecting great things of children at school.

Governments are working with Indigenous people to:

  • make sure children go to school — this is the law
  • provide children with quality schools and quality teaching
  • train more Indigenous people to work in education
  • provide special literacy and numeracy programs and personalised learning plans
  • make sure parents are involved with their children’s schooling
  • help children from remote areas to finish their education
  • support the transition from school to work.

Championing respectful relationships

Anthony Newcastle

Anthony Newcastle, QLD.

Building respectful relationships is a priority, says husband and father Anthony Newcastle.

When Anthony Newcastle realised his dream of creating an Aboriginal theatre business in Brisbane, he was supported by a family that valued respect and trust.

More than a decade later, Newcastle’s family is thriving and Natjul Indigenous Performing Arts is a leader in the field of “theatre for change”.    view full story


Published: 16 May 2011
< Previous

Find out more

Schooling is one of the building blocks in the Closing the Gap strategy, agreed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). It recognises that a good education is the way to jobs and opportunities in later life.

Two of the Closing the Gap targets set by COAG in 2008 relate to schooling:

  • to  halve the gap in reading, writing and numeracy achievements for children within a decade
  • to halve the gap for Indigenous students in Year 12 (or equivalent) attainment rates by 2020.

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations has a wide range of programs to assist Indigenous students.

Indigenous students are benefiting from the three Smarter Schools National Partnership Agreements and the Youth Attainment and Transitions National Partnership that are underpinning the Education Revolution. These agreements are for all Australians, but have Indigenous-specific measures.

Education is also being addressed as part of the Australian Government’s Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory legislation.

Education or non-government sector initiatives also support this building block:

For more information on Indigenous schooling, including programs and student assistance, go to

View all archived articles
Normal      Mobile