By Karina Lee and Anton Schirripa
As evidenced in the National Indigenous Youth Education Coalition’s recent report, “The School Exclusion Project”, First Nations young people, families and communities have long been overlooked and excluded from conversations around education in this country. For generations, the knowledges of First Nations communities have been sidelined, with little opportunity for their voices to be heard and utilised to create and affect any real change within education. The referendum on a First Nations Voice to Parliament, while not a solution to addressing historical exclusionary practices, may have been the nation’s opportunity to begin a shift in how First Nations’ voices can lead in all areas of policy development – especially within education. The overall ‘no’ vote signalled that there continues to be a culture of exclusion when it comes to selfdetermination, and First Nations people’s role in decision making and development of policy in areas impacting them most. While this ‘no’ vote meant that a First Nations Voice to Parliament will not be established, it did not mean an end to the important work being done around truthtelling, the prioritising of First Nations voices across all levels of decision-making or ensuring that First Nations young people see culture and identity reflected throughout their experiences of education.
As the Australian Government continues its efforts in negotiating Bilateral Agreements with states and territories; bar Northern Territory, Western Australia and Tasmania, which have already signed up to the Agreement, the new Better and Fairer Schools Agreement looks to develop genuine partnerships with, and prioritise the voices of, First Nations peoples, organisations and communities. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (NATSIEC) has been named as one such education stakeholder, as Australia’s peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education body, and we welcomed the opportunity to provide community-informed advocacy and advice on the agreement. As a corporation, we understand the importance of strong community-based consultation, and we continue to ensure that there is a national community-controlled education voice in efforts to improving educational outcomes of First Nations young people across their lifelong learning journey.
The Agreement itself acknowledges how First Nations cultures and knowledges are imperative to shaping and improving education systems, which will in turn lead to improved outcomes for First Nations young people within these systems. There is a hope that this Agreement will support opportunities for self-determination of First Nations communities, and this will then lead to voices of these communities being centred in the development of policies moving forward.
Strong school-community partnership, particularly through the inclusion of family and community voice in the education of First Nations young people, is linked to an increased quality of the experience they have within education and an increase in positive outcomes for students. NATSIEC, with its foundation built on strong community networks, is focused on harnessing community-informed solutions directly from local communities and helping to include the voices of communities who have long been excluded from discussions around education. NATSIEC aims to provide advice to all levels of government on education strategies, policies and initiatives impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and students. The previous lack of inclusion of such voices is the key reason for why so many past government policies have failed First Nations young people and their communities.
The inclusion of stronger partnerships with First Nations communities is an essential piece of the puzzle that we hope will see a marked shift from a tokenistic approach to a collaborative, grassroots approach that puts Aboriginal self-determination back at the centre. The Better and Fairer Schools Agreement, with its focus on partnerships with First Nations stakeholders, provides a possible framework for achieving this. We acknowledge and support the need for adequate funding being directed towards improving education outcomes for all First Nations young people across education sectors – this is a crucial component of the Bilateral Agreements, as is the support needed to work in partnership with First Nations communities in developing culturally responsive curriculum, teacher training, and overall educational strategies.
The Ngarrngga Centre’s report, “Reconciliation and Education: New Report and Recommendations,” reinforces the long-standing need for genuine engagement with First Nations people in education. The report emphasises the importance of culturally responsive pedagogies, which empower students to see themselves reflected in the curriculum and teaching methods. Learning about colonisation isn’t just about acknowledging the past; it’s about understanding the ongoing impact on First Nations people and providing a platform for their voices to be heard.
The collective need for governments to be working in partnership with First Nations communities cannot be understated, and the opportunity this presents within education to have a cross-sectoral impact on outcomes for First Nations young people is not one that should be taken lightly. If we are being honest about the need for truth-telling as a priority across this country, we must recognise the ongoing impact of colonial violence has on First Nations communities, and that there is a role of non-Indigenous Australia in stepping up and working in partnership with these communities to shift the dial on outcomes like the rates of First Nations youth incarceration. Currently, children as young as 10 can be placed in detention, a practice that disproportionately impacts First Nations youth and, as evidence shows, the younger someone experiences the carceral system, the higher the likelihood of coming into contact with the prison system in their adult life.
In addition, there is opportunity to implement significant reforms that are holistic, and recognise the cross-sectoral importance of education in achieving enhanced outcomes with the forthcoming National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People. The hope for this independent National Commission is to champion First Nations children’s strengths, amplifying the voices of First Nations young people to provide policy advice and assist in the implementation of key policy that impact them most.
Despite the hurt that was caused by a ‘no’ vote, we continue our fight in ensuring that First Nations communities are at the forefront of conversations around education that impact them most – particularly in shaping lifelong learning journeys that are culturally safe and appropriate, and spaces that reflect and celebrate First Nations cultures, language and identities.
Anton is a Ngarabul man and Director of Education Policy and Partnerships, and Karina is Director of Government Relations and Advocacy, at the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (NATSIEC); Australia’s peak Aboriginal-community controlled organisation for education and training.
For further information, please contact:
Anton Schirripa and Karina Lee
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (NATSIEC)
Phone: 0484 850 439
Email: policy@natsiec.edu.au
