Katu Kalpa: report on the inquiry into the effectiveness of education and training programs for Indigenous Australians

The inquiry into Indigenous education and training was referred by the Senate to Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education Committee in March 1998. The Committee reviewed parliamentary, government and commission reports on Indigenous education and training of the previous 10 years. It assessed the recommendations made in these reports and investigated the extent to which action had been taken to address them. The Committee received submissions from all states and territories, made site visits, and conducted formal and informal hearings with Indigenous education...  [+] Show more

The inquiry into Indigenous education and training was referred by the Senate to Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education Committee in March 1998. The Committee reviewed parliamentary, government and commission reports on Indigenous education and training of the previous 10 years. It assessed the recommendations made in these reports and investigated the extent to which action had been taken to address them. The Committee received submissions from all states and territories, made site visits, and conducted formal and informal hearings with Indigenous education stakeholders in four states and the territories. A key part of the inquiry was the identification of recent initiatives that had proven successful in improving educational achievement for Indigenous Australians. The Committee also compared the level of state, territory and Commonwealth resources devoted to education and training programs for Indigenous Australians over the previous decade. Most of the inquiry focused on the compulsory years of schooling because of the relatively low numbers of Indigenous students who complete secondary education. However, vocational education and training, adult education and higher education are assuming greater importance and were addressed in the inquiry as was the impact of health on education. Rural and remote areas were also a focus of the inquiry as Indigenous people living in these areas face great difficulty in accessing education. The educational needs of those living in urban locations were also examined. The inquiry found that equity for Indigenous people in most educational sectors had not been achieved. However, substantial progress had been made in a range of areas, with some major improvements in Indigenous educational participation. The result has been continuing failure in some areas and partial success in others.