Indigenous-Education-Review_DRAFT

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Review of Indigenous Education in the Northern Territory Bruce Wilson Chapter One: Introduction The scope of the review In July 2013, the Minister for Education and Children’s Services, Mr Peter Chandler, and the then Department of Education and Children’s Services requested a review of Indigenous education in the Northern Territory. The Terms of Reference for the review set out its objective: Within the context of national and Territory reforms, programs and initiatives in Indigenous education, provide the Northern Territory Government with recommendations to optimise education and training outcomes for Indigenous students. The Review was to: 1. map and analyse the context, including the characteristics of the Indigenous student population; 2. analyse evidence for the effectiveness of programs to determine what works and what does not; 3. examine and make recommendations about the structure of the Department and current resourcing arrangements (including Commonwealth resources) to support a new effort to close the gap in Indigenous students’ educational outcomes; and 4. advise on partnerships including both the empowerment of local communities and improvement of collaboration with other agencies and the Australian Government. Process The reviewer was appointed in early August and work started immediately. A team was established within the Department to support the review process. The process began with an intensive data collection process involving six elements: DRAFT collection and analysis of hundreds of documents (see bibliography at Appendix 1); interviews with key Department officials and individuals from outside the Department; meetings with organisations representing key interest groups; requests to areas of the Department for data, background information and commentary on areas related to the Terms of Reference; an intensive program of visits to 32 schools and communities (see full list of schools at Appendix 2); and an online public survey seeking views about the effectiveness of the education system for Indigenous children. A project plan in accordance with the requirements of the Request for Tender was provided in August 2013. The interim report was provided to the Department’s Executive Board in October 2013. This draft report was provided on schedule in December 2013. Requests for data and support from Departmental units imposed a significant workload at a difficult time for many units. The Reviewer wishes to thank those involved for a helpful and thorough response. 19
Review of Indigenous Education in the Northern Territory Bruce Wilson The structure of the report This report analyses the current state of play in the education of Indigenous young people in the Northern Territory, outlines findings, discusses the basis of those findings and makes recommendations. This introductory section includes a short reference to the Learning Lessons review and a list of review recommendations. The rest of the report starts with three preliminary sections intended to set the context for the key findings: a caveat about the areas that educators can and cannot control; a discussion of the demographics of the Northern Territory; and an outline of the review’s approach to ‘town’ and ‘bush’ schools in the Northern Territory 2 . The report then addresses those areas where changes are needed to improve outcomes and opportunities for Indigenous young people: the structures and practices of the Department of Education (DoE); the early childhood years: the period before children enter school when much of their capacity to benefit from schooling is shaped; primary education, where children ought to gain the foundations on which a high quality education is built; secondary education, including middle schooling and senior schooling, when young people gain the learning that will shape their opportunities in life and give them power over their lives; attendance, which is the principal school‐level barrier to improved outcomes; wellbeing and behaviour and their links to effective learning; community engagement: how schools can most effectively work with parents and communities to benefit the children they serve; workforce planning: teacher quality and supply, addressing the core lever for change in schools; and the financial basis for Northern Territory Government education, including relationships between the Australian and Northern Territory Governments. DRAFT There is also a series of appendices providing additional material relevant to the draft report. This is the draft review report. The final version of the report, due in March 2014, will include further appendices containing more detailed data about some aspects of Indigenous education in the Northern Territory. Learning Lessons The last major review of Indigenous education in the Northern Territory was the Collins review, Learning Lessons (Collins, 1999). In 1998, the Northern Territory Government established a Review Team, comprising the Hon. Bob Collins, Tess Lea, and a team of departmental personnel to fulfill the Terms of Reference to establish: the views and educational aspirations of Indigenous parents and community members in relation to their children’s schooling, with particular reference to English literacy and numeracy; the key issues affecting educational outcomes for Indigenous children; and supportable actions for educational outcome improvements. 2 See Chapter 4 ‘Two systems’ for the definitions of ‘town’ and ‘bush’ schools. 20
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