Unfortunately the statistics in this domain too paint a grim picture. Results indicate that ‘Indigenous Australians have considerably lower numeracy and literacy levels than the non-Indigenous population, significantly higher school absenteeism rates, and lower school completion outcomes’ (Bandias et al., 2013, cited in Cuervo et al., 2015, p.8). Additionally, the situation in regional and remote communities is even worse. On the one hand there is a general decline in the quality of education in those areas along with a shortage of early education options and schools. On the other hand the number of Indigenous people residing there is considerably higher compared to the metropolitan centres (Cuervo et al., 2015) thus adding to the educational
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Amongst the myriad of factors contributing to this disadvantage, the main areas highlighted were; school, family, and student. The Eurocentric school culture’s lack of understanding of Indigenous culture and ways of learning, irrelevance of school curriculum to Indigenous culture, assessment frameworks which are in standard English, and lastly, poor teacher quality and turnover with added elements of racism and prejudice towards Indigenous students, all contribute towards poor educational outcomes for this cohort (De Plevitz, 2007; Urquhart, 2009). Secondly, family variables that impede this cohort’s educational achievement include low literacy levels within the home, domestic violence, low income and socioeconomic status of the family with low value placed on learning in a school setting. Thirdly, factors contributing to the educational disadvantage at an individual level include psychosocial health and wellbeing. Discrimination and racism are known factors to cause high levels of emotional and behavioural difficulties causing distress and anxiety in this cohort. Other contributing factors may be low birth weight, speech difficulties, substance abuse, and adolescent pregnancy all leading to poor educational outcomes ( Urquhart, 2009; Cuervo et al., …show more content…
They challenge this mindset and state that Aboriginal Australian youth do not necessarily conform to the aspirations set by society, where paid work is pivotal to productivity in the Australian work-centred society. Aboriginal cultural norms may be seen as abnormal or a barrier to labour market participation and hence an IAYP perceived as not having dreams and aspirations may be regarded as a failure, lazy or detached (Parkes et al., 2015). Numerous government policies and change of governments have set back the Indigenous young people who are still at-risk from long-term effects of ‘colonial policy, institutionalised discrimination and contemporary racism’ leading to profound inequality compared to non-indigenous youth (Gale & Bolzan, 2013). This inequality manifests as misconceptions that portray Indigenous people being dependent on welfare, alcoholic, lazy and living on the dole (Pederson et al., 2006). This disadvantage experienced by Indigenous peoples in Australia is associated with both historical and contemporary racism, colonisation and
Amongst the myriad of factors contributing to this disadvantage, the main areas highlighted were; school, family, and student. The Eurocentric school culture’s lack of understanding of Indigenous culture and ways of learning, irrelevance of school curriculum to Indigenous culture, assessment frameworks which are in standard English, and lastly, poor teacher quality and turnover with added elements of racism and prejudice towards Indigenous students, all contribute towards poor educational outcomes for this cohort (De Plevitz, 2007; Urquhart, 2009). Secondly, family variables that impede this cohort’s educational achievement include low literacy levels within the home, domestic violence, low income and socioeconomic status of the family with low value placed on learning in a school setting. Thirdly, factors contributing to the educational disadvantage at an individual level include psychosocial health and wellbeing. Discrimination and racism are known factors to cause high levels of emotional and behavioural difficulties causing distress and anxiety in this cohort. Other contributing factors may be low birth weight, speech difficulties, substance abuse, and adolescent pregnancy all leading to poor educational outcomes ( Urquhart, 2009; Cuervo et al., …show more content…
They challenge this mindset and state that Aboriginal Australian youth do not necessarily conform to the aspirations set by society, where paid work is pivotal to productivity in the Australian work-centred society. Aboriginal cultural norms may be seen as abnormal or a barrier to labour market participation and hence an IAYP perceived as not having dreams and aspirations may be regarded as a failure, lazy or detached (Parkes et al., 2015). Numerous government policies and change of governments have set back the Indigenous young people who are still at-risk from long-term effects of ‘colonial policy, institutionalised discrimination and contemporary racism’ leading to profound inequality compared to non-indigenous youth (Gale & Bolzan, 2013). This inequality manifests as misconceptions that portray Indigenous people being dependent on welfare, alcoholic, lazy and living on the dole (Pederson et al., 2006). This disadvantage experienced by Indigenous peoples in Australia is associated with both historical and contemporary racism, colonisation and