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This is the fourth in a series of annual reports to the Australian Parliament that tracks progress in Indigenous education and training and discusses issues under the major goals of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy (AEP). It enables the Commonwealth Minister for Education, Science and Training to report to the Parliament at the end of each funding year on outcomes associated with Indigenous education and training. This report gives an account of educational outcomes achieved not only in 2004 but also over the period of the 2001-2004 funding quadrennium. Four priority areas relate to improving outcomes for Indigenous students in literacy and numeracy, enrolments, attendance and retention, and in education outcomes across the pre-school, school, vocational and technical education (VTE) and higher education sectors. Most of the 2004 national benchmark testing results for Indigenous students are better than previous years, yet there are still areas, especially numeracy, where there has been little improvement. There has been an increase in the numbers of Indigenous enrolments in preschools from 2001 to 2004. However, results in the schooling sector were mixed. Whilst there was an overall 17% increase in Indigenous enrolments since 2000 indicating more Indigenous students participating in schooling, there has been little improvement in overall attendance rates during the quadrennium. Indigenous apparent retention rates were variable and only one of the four grade progression ratios improved in 2004. Overall Year 12 enrolments increased by 22% during the 2001-2004 quadrennium. VTE continues to provide an important pathway for Indigenous people by delivering a broad range of personal, family and community benefits as well as employment and economic benefits. During 2001 to 2004 there have been some significant shifts in participation that saw the overall proportion of Indigenous students enrolled in government VTE institutions fall sharply. A key area of success in the VTE area continues to be New Apprenticeships. In 2004, Indigenous students were more likely to complete courses than in previous years of the quadrennium. Access and participation rates were at much the same levels in 2004 as they were over the quadrennium in the higher education sectors and the gaps in terms of access and participation have widened between 2001 and 2004. At the same time, the success and retention rates have moved fractionally upwards since 2001. The trend towards increased numbers of Indigenous students completing bachelor and higher level courses and the consequent closure of the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students at these levels is positive, although Indigenous award course completions need to increase significantly to reach parity with non-Indigenous students. It is encouraging that the number of Indigenous students gaining admission to higher education having completed the final year of secondary education has increased, particularly in the context of declining commencing student numbers. Show less

This is the fifth in a series of annual reports to the Australian Parliament that tracks progress in Indigenous education and training and discusses issues under the major goals of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy (AEP). It enables the Commonwealth Minister for Education, Science and Training to report to the Parliament at the end of each funding year on outcomes associated with Indigenous education and training. This report gives an account of educational outcomes achieved in 2005. Four priority areas relate to improving outcomes for Indigenous students in literacy and numeracy, enrolments, attendance and retention, and in education outcomes across the pre-school, school, vocational and technical education (VTE) and higher education sectors. The Indigenous scores in the 2005 national benchmark testing program are lower than the 2004 scores on eight of the nine benchmarks, and in eight of the nine cases the gaps between Indigenous and all students’ outcomes widened between the two years. Since benchmark testing began in 1999, there are few signs of sustained overall improvement with the gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous outcomes tending to widen. While there are more Indigenous students participating in schooling there has been little improvement in overall attendance rates. There remain significant gaps in the rates of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students at the primary school level and greater gaps at the secondary level.

In 2005, the vocational education and training (VET) sector continued to provide an important service to Indigenous people. More Indigenous Australians than ever were enrolled in a VET course in 2005. Apart from potential employment and economic benefits, VET also delivers a broad range of personal, family and community benefits that are attractive to Indigenous people. VET provides an important and valid alternative pathway to other forms of education and training for two of the most marginalised groups, young Indigenous people and Indigenous men. In 2005, about one Indigenous VET student in seven was aged 16 or less, twice the rate of non-Indigenous students. For every one Indigenous male university student there are eleven Indigenous male VET students. Many Indigenous students are using VET as a first step to making up the gaps in their previous education and training. Almost half of Indigenous students are enrolled in courses at the AQF Certificate I and II levels, twice the non-Indigenous rate. At the higher levels of study, the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous student outcomes is growing. A key area of success continues to be New Apprenticeships. There were overall record numbers of Indigenous New Apprentices in 2005 and record numbers undertaking AQF Certificate III and higher level courses. The number of New Apprenticeships course completions continues to grow and in 2005 a record 3,490 Indigenous students successfully completed their course, with 60% of completions at the AQF Certificate III and higher levels. Overall, Indigenous students achieved 2.5% of all New Apprenticeships completions in 2005 which matches their overall participation rate. The outcomes for Indigenous people who finish their VET course are encouraging. The 2005 Student Outcomes Survey shows that 68% of Indigenous graduates were employed following graduation, up by eight percentage points from 2004.

In the higher education sector the number of Indigenous students has continued to decline and in 2005, enrolments were at their lowest point for the last five years. In recent years, Indigenous students undertaking higher education courses have continued to show greater improvement against the progress rate indicator than non-Indigenous students. As a result the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in this performance area has narrowed. The rate of growth in Indigenous staff numbers in higher education institutions has increased substantially each year since 2001. While Indigenous people remain under-represented in relation to total staff numbers and the proportion of Indigenous students, the gap is closing. Show less

This report contains information about the role of the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) and its corporate governance arrangements and management accountability framework for 2001-02. The chapters are: The Secretary's overview; The Department; Education, science and training and Australia; Outcome 1 - School education; Outcome 2 - Post-school education and training; Outcome 3 - Research, innovation and internationalisation; Outcomes for science; Management and accountability; External scrutiny; People management. Included as appendices are: Staffing statistics; Occupational health and safety; Freedom of information; Payments to advertising and market research organisations; Discretionary grants; Higher Education Contribution Scheme; Consultancies; Commonwealth Disability Strategy performance report; Performance against outcomes and outputs; Performance against outputs for science; Financial statements; Glossary and acronyms; Charts and figures. Show less

The National Indigenous English Literacy and Numeracy Strategy (NIELNS) was launched by the Prime Minister in March 2000 with the objective 'to achieve literacy and numeracy for Indigenous students at levels comparable to those achieved by other young Australians'. 265 initiatives were implemented by education and training providers under NIELNS during 2001-2004. The projects addressed the six NIELNS key elements of: improving attendance; improving participation in preschool; addressing hearing and health issues; getting good teachers; using best teaching methods; and improving accountability. NIELNS was the subject of an evaluation during 2002 and 2003. The evaluation team assessed provider reports, talked to key stakeholders and conducted a series of case studies. The evaluation concluded that 75% of projects, representing 75% of total funding, had either achieved their targets or made an improvement on their baseline. This report discusses the results in each of the six NIELNS key elements and the strategies that led to them. It considers program management aspects of NIELNS and addresses each of the evaluation questions. The final chapter discusses future directions including sustainability and mainstreaming as well as the recommendations from the Indigenous Reference Group (IRG). Three appendices accompany the report providing the policy background to NIELNS, the evaluation methodology, and the background to the IRG.

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The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) Annual Report for 2005-06 contains information about the role of the department, our corporate governance arrangements and management accountability framework. It also reports on our performance against the outcomes and outputs framework set out in the 2005-06 Portfolio Budget Statements. The Annual Report is the department’s primary accountability document to Parliament and to the Australian people. The department has an ‘Open for Business’ philosophy and is committed to developing and maintaining strong relationships with those who have interests in education, science and training issues.

Published summary. Show less

The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) annual report for 2006-07 contains information about the role of the department, corporate governance arrangements and management accountability framework. It also reports on performance against the Outcomes and Outputs Framework (OOF) set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements (PBS) 2006-07. This is the last annual report of the department. Following the 2007 election, DEST was disbanded and the portfolio responsibility was transferred to the new Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). Show less

This annual report for 2003-04 contains information about the Department of Education, Science and Training's (DEST's) role, its corporate governance arrangements and management accountability framework, and its performance against the outcomes and outputs framework set out in the 2003-04 Portfolio Budget Statements. It is presented in four parts. The first part contains the Department Secretary's review of the year and an overview of DEST. Part two reports on DEST's performance in achieving the following outcomes: Individuals achieve high quality foundation skills and learning outcomes from schools and other providers; Individuals achieve relevant skills and learning outcomes from post-school education and training; and Australia has a strong science, research and innovation capacity and is engaged internationally in science, education and training to advance its social development and economic growth. Part three looks at governance and accountability arrangements. Part four contains the appendices, including the financial statements. Show less

This report, which is to be produced annually, is based on outcomes achieved in 2001 and documents the progress of Indigenous education and training in Australia. It enables the Commonwealth Minister for Education, Science and Training to report to the Parliament at the end of each funding year on outcomes associated with Indigenous education and training. In addition, the report provides important information for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, the educational community and Indigenous students. Data has mainly been derived from official national collections or from Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Programme (IESIP) data. IESIP covers over 90% of Indigenous students in education and training. The monitoring and reporting of progress for these students is based on eight priority areas endorsed by the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) in 1995. These are: literacy, numeracy, educational outcomes, enrolments, Indigenous employment, professional development of staff involved in Indigenous education and training, involvement of Indigenous parents and communities in education and training, and culturally inclusive curricula. The last four of these priorities are discussed collectively as Indigenous presence, involvement and influence. The introductory chapters provide an executive summary presenting highlights of improvements and continuing gaps in outcomes for Indigenous students, information about the national report, and contextual information associated with the history of, and current policies and social influences on, Indigenous education and training in Australia. The report is then structured according to the four main sectors of education and training in Australia: preschool (chapter three), schooling (chapter four), vocational education and training (VET) (chapter five), and higher education (chapter six). A similar structure is followed in each of these chapters, based on the eight MCEETYA priority areas. Each chapter begins with introductory information, data and discussion about Indigenous presence, involvement and influence. This is followed by the key areas of enrolments and educational outcomes. Chapter seven provides progress information on the National Indigenous English Literacy and Numeracy Strategy (NIELNS) and chapter eight reports on payments under the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000. Appendices and bibliography are included. Show less

The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) Annual Report for 2004-05 contains information about the role of the department, our corporate governance arrangements and management accountability framework. It also reports on our performance against the outcomes and outputs framework set out in the 2004-05 Portfolio Budget Statements. The Annual Report is the department's primary accountability document to Parliament and to the Australian people. The department has an 'Open for Business' philosophy and is committed to developing and maintaining strong relationships with those who have interests in education, science and training issues.

Published summary. Show less

This annual report for 2002-03 contains information about the Department of Education, Science and Training's (DEST's) role, its corporate governance arrangements and management accountability framework, and its performance against the outcomes and outputs framework set out in the 2002-03 Portfolio Budget Statements. The first two chapters contain the Department Secretary's review of the year and an overview of DEST. Chapters three to five report on DEST's performance in achieving the following outcomes: students acquire high quality foundation skills and learning outcomes from schools; individuals achieve relevant skills and learning outcomes from post-school education and training for work and life; and Australia has a strong science, research and innovation capacity and is engaged internationally in science, education and training to advance its social development and economic growth. Chapter six looks at management and accountability arrangements. Included as appendices are: Occupational health and safety; Freedom of information; Payments to advertising and marker research organisations; Discretionary grants; Consultancies; Ecologically sustainable development and environmental performance reporting; Commonwealth disability strategy; Financial statements; Glossary and acronyms; Tables and figures. Show less