Federation librarian Mary Schmidt matches up a NSW town with its Aboriginal nation. If you need similar information, contact the library on (02) 9217 2113.

Take responsibility for Aboriginal education

While our union can take great pride in our history and traditions in championing the cause of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people, we must also take responsibility for the current state of affairs and the future, writes CHARLINE EMZIN-BOYD, PETER WILSON and ANGELO GAVRIELATOS.

In accepting our responsibility to deal with the fundamental injustices still being inflicted on Aboriginal Australians and in recognition of the fact that issues of access and equity, let alone the achievement of an equality of learning outcomes, still need to be addressed in relation to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, Annual Conference in July 2002 determined that:

"The NSW Teachers Federation reiterates its support for social justice and social justice unionism. In particular Conference calls for increased government effort, resources and promotion of educational opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

"The state of Aboriginal education and the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island students require our urgent attention. By any measure, we have a long way to go in order to achieve equality of learning outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students."

Some statistics from the National Report to Parliament on Indigenous Education and Training 2001 highlight the urgency in relation to this matter. It reports that:

• 13 per cent of indigenous 5-15 year olds are not attending an educational institution
• 80 per cent of year 3 indigenous students were below the middle scores in reading or numeracy
• year 3 indigenous students were 2 to 3. 5 times more likely to be in the lowest level of reading or numeracy
• year 5 indigenous students were lower than those for year 3 indigenous students, becoming lower again at year 7
• absences for poor attendance could be more than 50 days -- equivalent to a term
• indigenous students show a marked decline of attendance beginning at year 6
• the NSW retention rates to year 12, those who were in year 10 in 1999 -- 37 per cent compared to non-indigenous 71 per cent -- a 33. 9 per cent gap.

There is no doubt that these statistics offer some explanation to an equally damning set of Australian Bureau of Statistics' figures, indicating National Disadvantage of Aboriginal Peoples. They reveal:

• Aboriginal unemployment is four times more likely to that of other Australians.
• Aboriginal household income is 60 per cent of the income of other Australians.
• Aboriginal infant mortality rate is 52 deaths per 1000, four times the National Australian average.
• Aboriginal life expectancy for males is 57 years of age, for females 62 -- 20 years less than the National Australian average.
• Aboriginal peoples constitute about two per cent of Australian population but constitute 19 per cent of the total prison population.
• Aboriginal juveniles detained during 1999 constituted approximately 40 per cent of all juveniles detained.
• Aboriginal juveniles were imprisoned at a rate 17 times that of non-Aboriginal juveniles.
• Aboriginal youths aged 10-17 years in 1993 were 24.2 times more likely to be in custody than non-Aboriginal youths.
• 80 per cent of adult Aboriginal peoples have no educational qualification.

Recognising that education is the most powerful transformational agent available to provide all children with a chance to pursue the widest range of opportunities in life, Federation's February Council stated: "It is clear that an equality of learning outcomes for Aboriginal students is yet to be achieved within NSW public education. The Department of Education and Training must accept its responsibility to redress this situation as a key educational and social justice priority. The Federation accepts its responsibility to campaign for improvements in Aboriginal education in NSW."

Charline Emzin-Boyd is the Aboriginal Education Co-ordinator, Peter Wilson is a Country Organiser and Angelo Gavrielatos is the Senior Vice President.

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February 2003 contents