Page 2334 - Week 07 - Thursday, 4 August 2016
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The ACT is also one of the only three jurisdictions on track to meet the COAG target of 90 per cent attendance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students by 2018. In 2015, attendance increased by 1.6 percentage points to 85.2 per cent. New processes have been developed to monitor and report on the attendance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The processes include monthly monitoring of schools with low attendance rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and half yearly national reporting of attendance. This will help to ensure that the directorate is able to meet the COAG target by 2018.
The directorate aims to provide support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to transition successfully into further study or into the workforce. In 2016, 10 fully funded places were introduced for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to engage in school apprenticeships across the ACT government.
In 2015-16, 37 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students received a credit towards a vocational qualification through participating in a flexible learning option. In 2015-16, the directorate employed 14 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education officers, up from 11 in 2014-15, to assist teachers to improve attendance, support transitions, establish connections and build relationships between schools, families and communities.
In 2016, six Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander secondary scholarships were awarded to year 11 and 12 students, three for students interested in teaching, and three for students interested in a career in the health field. To support and foster high-achieving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who are aspiring leaders, the Education Directorate runs the student aspirations program. Currently there are approximately 150 students involved in this program from year 5 through to year 12.
The directorate also sets out targets to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff. Between June 2012 and December 2015, there was an 87.5 per cent increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff employed by the directorate. The directorate also aims to provide high-quality culturally appropriate early childhood education through its Koori preschool program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged between three and five years. Currently there are 86 students enrolled in this program across five sites. The directorate works with the Community Services Directorate, who employ two early years engagement officers to work closely with Koori preschools to increase participation and parental engagement, and to support transitions to school.
The directorate also ensure that they consult regularly with the Aboriginal community through the Aboriginal consultative group and the education representative on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body, Mr Tony McCulloch. The directorate’s relationship with Mr McCulloch and his ongoing advice has enhanced the directorate’s knowledge and understanding of matters of importance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families. I am pleased to table this report.
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