National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy
The Australian National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy (AEP) is a national policy adopted by the Government of Australia by each State and Territory government. The policy was first introduced in 1989 and is the foundation of education programs for all Indigenous Australians. History. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy has been redeveloped and reimagined since 1982, with the first Aboriginal Education Policy focusing on the appreciation of Aboriginal cultures and societies. In 1988, a Commonwealth Government Task Force informed the development of the National Aboriginal Education  Policy (AEP), launching the policy in 1989. The policy was officially actioned in 1990, with endorsement by the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments. The policy was a response to the Ministerial Council for Education, Employment and Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) recognition of the need to improve educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. In 1995, the MCEETYA meeting reestablished numerous priority areas for Aboriginal Australians education. The commonwealth supported the performance targets established by the MCEETYA, which included: In 1993, a national review indicated that several areas of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students education had been  improved. The areas of improvement included participation and outcomes for education and training. However, the review noted that improvements were inconsistent across states and territories. In 1996, the Aboriginal Education Policy (AEP) had three main focus areas. Which included: -      Aboriginal students -      Aboriginal communities -      All staff, students and schools A review of the policy was conducted in 2003 by the NSW Government for the effectiveness of the Aboriginal education and training for Aboriginal students in NSW. This led to a new partnership with the NSW AECG Inc, in order to ensure the implementation of the policy in NSW. In 2006–2008, the  Aboriginal Education Policy has been actioned within the Aboriginal Education and Training Strategy. Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education policy is associated with the "Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000". The act enables agreements to be made between education providers and other persons or bodies for the purpose of assisted payments, i.e. ABSTUDY. Education providers may include the state or territory; university or post-secondary education institution; person or body conducting an educational system; and/or a person qualified to conduct research on education. The legislation outlines several aims for achieving equitable and  appropriate educational outcomes for Indigenous people. These can be summarised through preschool education; compulsory attendance; equitability measures to ensure fair outcomes amongst students; equity in graduation rates; continuation of Indigenous languages in education contexts; initiatives to increase numeracy and literacy levels; and education that explores the culture of Indigenous people. Goals of AEP. In 1989, several goals were established by the AEP in achieving the objectives of the policy. These include twenty one long-term goals based around achieving equitable outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In 1991, the Report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in  Custody emphasised the importance of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy as a way of ensuring greater control over educational institutions and services. The report outlines the inadequacies of the formal education system in creating equitable foundations for Aboriginal Australians educational outcomes. The report noted that, education and training factors to the disproportionate overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in custody. There are four overarching goals of the AEP, which are legislated under the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000, No. 147, 2000. These goals are: The goals were endorsed by The Commonwealth of Australia , The State of New South Wales, The State of Queensland, The State of South Australia, The State of Tasmania, The State of Victoria, The State of Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory, and Northern Territory. Programs implemented. Between 2005 and 2009, several programs have been funded under the Indigenous Education Program, including: Supplementary Recurrent Assistance (SRA);. The Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000, No. 147, 2000 mandated SRA payments through the Indigenous Supplementary Assistance (ISA) organisation in 2009. In 2020, the Northern Territory Government committed to SRA payments for public vocational education providers. The financial resources are allocated based off Aboriginal  and Torres Strait islander student numbers. The SRA payments aim to improve the following areas for First Nation students: The payments are aimed to be supplementary to funding currently in place. The SRA funding is available for Charles Darwin University and Bachelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education students. Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS). The Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme-Tertiary Tuition (ITAS-TT) was established in 1989, emerging from the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy. ITAS-TT provided funding to support study for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. In 2016–2017, the Australian government renamed the ITAS-TT  program to the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS) Whole of School Initiatives (WoSI). The former governing body of the Whole of School Initiatives (WoSI) was the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) replaced the former body in funding the WoSI program. The WoSI operates through the Parent School Partnership Initiative and Homework Centres, in increasing opportunities for First Nation peoples education. In 2007, various proposals were funded in ACT, including Melba High School cluster homework centre, the Koori Preschool programs in Calwell and Wanniassa and the Black Mountain  School cultural program. Away-from-base for mixed-mode delivery (AFB). The away-from-base for mixed-mode delivery (AFB) program provides increased access to educational opportunities for Indigenous Australians, particularly in rural and remote areas. AFB supports Indigenous students to study compulsory course requirements in another location away from home. AFB assists students through travel costs, meals and accommodation In 2018, the two AFB programs on offer included ABSTUDY AFB assistance and PM&C’S AFB assistance. ABSTUDY assistance is administered by the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Department of Social Security (DSS). The program supports students through  their secondary education and VET courses. The PM&C's AFB provides financial support to eligible non-for-profit training providers and universities on an average funding rate per full-time equivalent student. English as a Second Language for Indigenous Language Speaking Students (ESL-ILSS);. The Far North Queensland Indigenous Schooling Support Unit (FNQ ISSU) govern operations for individuals in the ESL-ILSS program. Through the FNQ ISSU organisation, individuals in the ESL-ISS program had access to funding that bridged language gaps in formal education systems. FNQ ISSU acknowledge that “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in their first year  of formal schooling have been assessed as having a language barrier… prevent[ing] them from effective participation in the classroom in English” [paraphrased] Students are eligible for support if they meet the following criteria: Indigenous Youth Leadership Program (IYLP). The Indigenous Youth Leadership Program (IYLP) is funded by the Australian Government. IYLP assists Indigenous youth in attaining their education goals through scholarships and leadership opportunities. The Smith Family and Wilderness School work collaboratively in granting scholarship opportunities for potential students to be eligible for the IYLP. Indigenous Youth Mobility Program (IYMP). The Indigenous Youth Mobility Program (IYMP) assist young Indigenous Australians  living in remote locations with their post-secondary education. The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) fund the IYMP program. In 2019 there were 249 participants nation-wide, with 216 of those completing higher education. IYMP assist Indigenous students through adhering to the barriers that hinder accessibility to education and employment for First Nation students living in remote locations. In 2019, there were 144 communities across the nation that IYMP provided support for, with 90% of participants being from remote regions. IYMP have various objectives aimed towards bridging the gap in education barriers for students living remotely. This includes: National Aboriginal  and Torres Strait Islander Education Strategy 2015. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Strategy 2015 builds on previous action plans for improving education for Australian First Nation students. The education strategy has a variety of principles, establishing the yardstick for education systems and providers to measure their approaches to inclusive education. This includes: There are seven priority areas for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education. These priority areas include leadership, quality teaching, workforce development culture and identity; partnerships; school and child readiness; transition points for post-school life; literacy and numeracy; and attendance. National Report to Parliament on  Indigenous Education and Training. A major report, the "National Report to Parliament on Indigenous Education and Training" was presented to the Parliament of Australia in 2003. Since 2003, research has identified complexities and challenges in meeting these goals. For example, Euro-centric educational materials may hamper equality of educational participation and outcomes of First Nation people.