SIGNIFICANT POLICIES &

P RAC T I C E S W I T H I N I N D I G E N O U S
E D U C AT I O N

[AN ANNOTATED TIMELINE]

Parramatta Native Institution, 1814

The Parramatta Native Institution was established by Governor Macquarie

in 1814 as the first indigenous children education centre. The prime focus

of this decision was to improve the energies (Governor Maquarie. 1814)

of the aboriginal race which the colonists considered to be

underdeveloped and impoverished. The other motive stemmed toward

egotistical benefits. The settlers desired that not only they but the

Aboriginal people, play a part in the formation of an English society within

the land of Australia.

Although the primary reasons behind this gesture were for the selfish

motives of westernizing the aboriginal culture, this was the first

acknowledgement that indigenous people could be included in

educational institutions. This moment in history holds prevalent

significance toward the aboriginal people with regards to their schooling.

This initial move produced further difficulties and challenges for these

first people. Nevertheless this decision holds part responsibility for

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further historical breakthroughs regarding Torre Strait Islander (TSI) and

Aboriginal education. (Establishment of the Native Institution, 1814)

Compulsory Schooling for all children in NSW, 1880

66 years after the Parramatta Native Institution was formed, schooling of

all children within NSW was made compulsory. This was finalized by the

Public Instruction Act of 1880 which enforced common curriculum based

schooling throughout all schools and their students. (Public Instruction Act,

1880) This Act lead to the formation of segregated schools being started

for indigenous children. During this period Aboriginal children were

accepted within local schools under the premise that they adhere to

colonial customs and were clean, clad and courteous(J.J. Fletcher, 1989).

(NSW Government Education, 2016)

Though the government might have required all children, regardless of

colour, to have an education, the chauvinistic nature towards the

Aboriginal people still greatly permeated until the end of the nineteenth

century. Segregated schools were established and indigenous children

were initially isolated from the settlers children. This Act opened a

gateway for some of the first cross cultural schools in Australia. Even

though prejudice was high amongst many of the parents involved in these

mixed schools, the innocence of the children allowed friendships to be

formed. These multicultural friendships would eventually aid in advocating

equality for Aboriginal and TSI people.

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 First Aboriginal Teacher Employed, 1913

Acceptance of Aboriginal employment within education systems as

teachers was first recognized in 1913. This occurred at Moonacullah

Aboriginal School when John Lewis took the positon of a teacher at the

institute. He had a straight forward and blunt approach to his classroom

which was contrary to the teaching mandate most teachers followed. His

pupils, though some were estranged by his expression of education, the

majority were drawn in the breath of fresh air he presented in the

classroom. (M. Tucker, 1989)

The possibility for Aboriginal to Aboriginal education allowed an

undeniable breakthrough in consideration of indigenous rights and

equality for education. If an Aboriginal man was able to rise to the

standards of a professional educator amongst colonialist co-workers then

indigenous children had the right to interact in a mixed child environment.

Segregation remained present at this time but the concepts and ideas

formulated from this brave mans step into western professionalism threw

a wrench in the previously accepted view of an unintelligent and helpless

race.

The Freedom Ride, 1965

During 1965 Sydney heavily protested the racial discrimination that was

currently being viewed in the United States of America. This lead to 29

students based at the University of Sydney to pursue an intentional road

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trip to the western part of NSW. This trip included the Australian towns of

Walgett, Gulargambone, Kempsey, Bowraville and Moree. Its goal was to

highlight the racial discrimination within Australia and ascertain a current

view of Aboriginal people. This would include their treatment,

accommodation, status, access and rights within Australia. (National

Museum of Australia, 2007)

The discoveries of the 1965 Freedom Ride brought an entire nation to

realize the disregard, discrimination and downright racism directed

towards the indigenous people. Breaking that silence lead communities,

councils and the Australian government to consider proactive ways of

abolishing this disadvantage to the Aboriginals. These considerations

brought about by the Freedom Ride lead to the 1967 Referendum,

ABSTUDY establishment and so much more support and advantages

towards indigenous education.

State Aboriginal Education Committee , 1977

In 1977 the National Aboriginal Education Committee (NAEC) was

established appointing Indigenous people in positions of seniority. Their

role at this time was to bring forward their suggestions and advise the

Commonwealth Minister for Education and surrounding associates with

their own insights towards the education of their people. Not many

indigenous people were in decision making roles during the initial phase.

Nevertheless the NAEC gradually developed over time. The NAEC

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eventually disbanded and was replaced by the Aboriginal Task force in

1988 whose goals were similarly aligned. (Hughes & Willmot, 2012)

This allowed for a shift in power and allowed the indigenous people to

have a say in how their children were to be taught. Their opinions on the

current educational standard were given a hearing. It provided them with

the power of debate, speech and the ability to be regarded with respect.

This committee infused the aboriginal people with a sense of pride and

worth in education and even spurred some of them to become educators.

Although the NAEC had small beginnings with minimal members of

indigenous culture in leadership positions, this committee resulted in the

training of 1000 teachers by 1990 (Hughes & Willmot, 2012) a few years

after they formed in 1981. This Campaign continued until its dissolution in

1988 and was reconstructed into the Aboriginal Task force in 1988.

First NSW Aboriginal Educational Policy developed,

1982

1982 Holds great significance due to the establishment of the Aboriginal

Education Policy (AEP). This was the first New South Wales (NSW) AEP and

was developed and encouraged by the Aboriginal Education Consultative

Group (AECG) and the Department of Education and Training (DET). This

policys primary goal was to involve the indigenous communities and

associated students within them to have a higher involvement in

education. It was to encourage a positive cultural identity and gradually

build the aboriginals own self-esteem through their learning. Its practical

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act was introducing Aboriginal history, both past and present, into the

everyday classroom. This was to be implemented within all Australian

based schools. (NSW Department of Education, 1996)

It was at this point that the Australian Government recognized that

through their atrocities the Indigenous culture had lost a sense of pride

with themselves and their way of life. Ultimately the Australian settlers

original intentions of westernizing the aboriginal race had partially

succeeded and therefore the government wanted to make amends. These

processes began with the initiation of incorporating Aboriginal studies into

all public education. Their motives were to build the pride and self-esteem

starting with the indigenous children in their schooling. This was done in

the hope to equip these children with a high regard for their Aboriginal

ancestors and their ways of life. Another impact was that it publically

educated westernized children about the Aboriginals way of life. This is

built a higher regard for them as a people within the modern Australian

Culture.

1989 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Education Policy
A report was filed following the establishment of the Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander Education Policy Taskforce in 1988 headed by Paul Hughes.

This report eventually evolved into what is known as the National

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy. This policy was

formed to develop a long-term solution to providing the appropriate

educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

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(Australia Government, 2014). This would be implemented and worked

toward by all states and territories included within the Commonwealth in

1989. These educational strategies were built in order to lay a nationally

agreed standard for Indigenous education and their outcomes.

This was a ground breaking event within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait

educational policies. This ensured that a national agreed standard would

be implemented with long term intentions to equip and build up Aboriginal

and Torres Strait people. This standard would produce appropriate learning

strategies and outcomes for indigenous students within the Australian

education system and seek to continue the development of this

education, so as not to become inundated with irrelevance. In agreement

with this, this policy laid the foundational framework for numerous

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Educational Policies, eg. National Strategy for

the Education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples 19962002,

Australian Directions in Indigenous Education 20052008, and most

recently, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action Plan

20102014 (Australia Government, 2014).

2004 Review of Aboriginal Education

In 2004 a National review of Aboriginal Education was put forward by the

New South Wales Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and News

South Wales Department of Education and Training. Its focus was to look

over the previous policies and procedures implemented within Indigenous

education. It had to gauge the effectiveness of the current Aboriginal and

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Torres Strait Islander educational plan. This was a state wide review which

gathered various information including oral and verbal, in relation to the

lengths taken for Indigenous education. More than 180 submissions were

put forward throughout this review to provide and build an up to date and

national wide accepted framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait

education. (New South Wales Education, 2004)

This review made Australians continued and current concerns relevant

towards Indigenous education. It was in line with the Governments stated

intentions made in the1989 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education

Policy. These intentions were to have long-term goals for indigenous

education and continuous empowerment of the Australian first people.

This review signified their authentic desire to continue to build and

empower indigenous people through the public education system. In

addition this review allowed the Department of Education to make the

necessary changes to modify this educational policy by providing modern

and current methods within the public educational strategies. (New South

Wales Education, 2004)

2010-2014 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Education Action Plan

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action Plan was

endorsed in 2010. Its goal was to bridge the gap between Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islanders and non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. This

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was in relation to Educational goals and outcomes between indigenous

and non-indigenous individuals throughout the national public educational

system. This plan would manifest itself by requiring the states,

government and territories of Australia to commit to an annual report

based on the fifty five goals within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Education Action Plan. These aims revolved around the national,

systematic and local impact of strategy. (SCSEEC, 2014)

The commitment by the Australian Government to present a structural

agenda in modernizing early childhood, middle and high school can be

seen through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action

Plan. This plan embodies monumental progress in Indigenous education

by providing it with practical actionable strategies that can be

accomplished on national, systematic and community levels. This action

plan provided acceleration towards implementing current improvements

of indigenous learning outcomes. This opened up large scale opportunistic

outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander students within the

National education system. It also equipped them with the necessary

knowledge and skills in closing the gap.

2016 Directions for Aboriginal Education

In 2016 four key areas were established by the Director General, Sharyn

ONeill, in aiding the continuous governmental effort in closing the

educational performance gap. These key areas are a part of the Directions

for Aboriginal Education. It highlights the need for constant action towards

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closing the gap in light of not seeing significant improvements

(Department of Education, 2016). This message identifies that although

great lengths have been crossed by previous policies and procedures, the

need for attentiveness in this area is still required. This strategic plan

made people aware of the disproportional amount of Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islanders that are still not meeting minimal standard outcomes

within public education. It also includes the four key areas that is deemed

essential for student success:

Children are ready for school

Students attend school regularly
Students improve literacy and numeracy skills
Students have pathways to real options after school

(Department of Education,

2016).

Though this report does not provide the positive information many

national schools wished to hear, it acknowledges that the Australian

Government is still putting methods and strategies in place. The aim is to

provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with the best

framework and outcomes in their educational journey. Significant

breakthroughs have been made but there is common agreement and

knowledge that continuous development and improvements need to

continue. Instead of turning a blind eye, the Australian Government and

Department of Education is tirelessly moving forward and making great

efforts in closing the gap.

REFERENCE PAGE

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Australian Government. (2014) National aboriginal and Torres Strait
islander education policy. Department of Education and Training.
Sourced from: https://www.education.gov.au/national-aboriginal-and-
torres-strait-islander-education-policy-1989

Fletcher, J.J. (1989) Clean, Clad and Courteous: A History of Aboriginal

School Education in New South Wales. Southwood Press, New South
Wales pp.8 & pp.61

Governor Macquarie (1814). The Establishment of the Native Institution.

Government Schools of New South Wales (1880). Public Instruction Act

Hughes, P. Willmot, E. (2012) A thousand Aboriginal teachers by 1990

revisited. More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teachers
Initiative. Source: http://matsiti.edu.au/1000-teachers-by-1990/

National Museum Australia (2007). Freedom ride, 1965. Collaborating for

Indigenous Rights. Sources from:
http://indigenousrights.net.au/civil_rights/freedom_ride,_1965

NSW Department of School Education. (1996) Aboriginal education policy.

Aboriginal Education Unit NSW Department of School Education.
Sourced from:
https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/curriculum/schools/aborig_edu/p
d02_35_aboriginal_education.pdf

New South Wales Department of Education (2004) The report of the

review of aboriginal education, nsw department of education and
training. New South Wales Department of Education and Training.
Sourced from: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/media/
downloads/reviews/aboriginaledu/report/aer2003_04.pdf

New South Wales Department of Education (2016) Public Instruction Act

1880. Government Schools of New South Wales from 1848. Source
from:
http://www.governmentschools.det.nsw.edu.au/story/instruction_act.
shtm

SCSEEC. (2014) Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander education action plan
2010-2014. Ministerial Concil for Education, Early Childhood,
Developmental and Youth Affairs. Sourced from:
http://www.scseec.edu.au/site/DefaultSite/filesystem/documents/
ATSI%20documents/ATSIEAP_web_version_final.pdf

Sharyn ONeill (2016) Direction for aboriginal education 2016. The

Government of Western Australia.

Tucker, M. (1983) If everyone cared: autobiography of Margaret Tucker.

Grosvenor Books. Melbourne. 3

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Rebecca A. Stephens EST203 261805