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Table 7.2.1IndigenousApparent retention rates of full time secondary students toyear 9, all schools, 2006 (per cent) a, b, c, d, eNSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT AustMale 96.0 100.0 100.4 100.1 90.5 101.8 109.5 89.6 97.6Female 99.3 105.6 99.9 100.0 90.6 107.1 97.5 94.2 99.2Total 97.6 102.8 100.2 100.1 90.5 104.3 103.7 91.9 98.4Non-IndigenousMale 99.0 99.6 100.7 101.5 100.1 100.9 98.3 96.5 99.9Female 99.6 100.6 100.5 101.5 100.4 99.4 99.6 96.2 100.3Total 99.3 100.1 100.6 101.5 100.2 100.2 98.9 96.4 100.0a The apparent retention rate is the percentage of full time students who continued to year 9 from respectivecohort groups at the commencement of their secondary schooling (year 7/8). b Retention rates are affected byfactors that vary across jurisdictions, so variations in apparent retention rates over time within jurisdictionsmay be more useful than comparisons across jurisdictions. Retention rates can exceed 100 per cent for avariety of reasons, including student transfers between jurisdictions after the base year. c The exclusion ofpart time students from standard apparent retention rate calculations has implications for the interpretation ofresults for all jurisdictions, but particularly for SA, Tasmania and the NT where there is a high proportion ofpart time students. d The small number of Indigenous students in some jurisdictions (the ACT and Tasmania)can result in large fluctuations in the apparent retention rates when disaggregated by gender. e Ungradedstudents are not included in the calculation of apparent retention rates. This exclusion has particularimplications for the NT and as a result, Indigenous apparent retention rates may misrepresent the retention ofstudents in secondary schooling in the NT.Source: ABS 2007 (unpublished); table 3A.3.3.• From 2002 to 2006, Indigenous apparent retention rates from the start ofsecondary school to year 9 have remained relatively constant (fluctuatingbetween 97.8 and 98.4 per cent) (figure 3.3.2).• High rates are to be expected because normal year level progression meansstudents in year 9 are generally of an age at which school education iscompulsory. Rates for Indigenous students, however, were lower than those fornon-Indigenous students in all states and territories except Victoria, Tasmaniaand the ACT (table 7.2.1).• The national retention rate for Indigenous students was 98.4 per cent comparedwith 100.0 per cent for non-Indigenous students (table 7.2.1).7.24 OVERCOMINGINDIGENOUSDISADVANTAGE 2007