Embedding Indigenous PerspectivesEssay Preview: Embedding Indigenous PerspectivesReport this essayEmbedding Indigenous perspectivesThe traditional conceptual view of Australian history is one of progress, European progress. Generations of Australian students have been indoctrinated with a version of Australian history that underestimates or overlooks events and subjects concerning Indigenous people. The favoured triumphalist account of Australian achievement and success has relegated many violent and tragic Indigenous events and issues to a part of the nations hidden history. More recent histories written about Australias past have attempted to balance the celebrated success of the Australian story with the Indigenous peoples account of modern Australia. All Australian states and territories now accept Indigenous studies to an important area of study in schools and openly encourage teachers to expose their students to Indigenous perspectives. To reveal a fuller picture of both Australias past and to foster a deeper understanding of the Indigenous dimension of Australian history, schools are now obligated to educate students from the view from the ship and the view from the shore. Although the once prevailing attitude that relegated the Indigenous experience to a mere footnote in history has been largely discredited, it is an issue which has yet to be satisfactorily resolved. Research has sadly shown many teachers and schools are still reluctant to incorporate Indigenous perspectives into the curriculum for a variety of reasons -anxiety about cultural sensitivities, lack of interest and/or knowledge, bigotry and concern about the more contentious aspects of indigenous history.
For decades, the Indigenous population of Australia was written out of official versions of the nations history. If Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples appeared, it was either only fleetingly or to act as foils to valiant British settlers braving the elements and savage natives in a new harsh landscape. School textbooks often began with a concise chapter on the customs and beliefs of Aboriginal peoples and occasionally made reference to some well-known Indigenous people such as Woollarawarre Bennelong who was taken to England and introduced to King George in 1972. In talking of the early colonial settlements and farms, one popular history textbook from the 1960s tilted The Land They Found referred to the original inhabitants of the lands only in the context of the difficulties and troubles they posed to the British settlers. Like most school textbooks published in the pre-Mabo era, it followed a similar storyline. Australia was presented as a land that was only scarcely inhabited by Indigenous people, who through no fault of the British settlers began to die off after colonization. The paternalistic British settlers did the best they could for the natives and attempted to civilize them through Christianity. However, Indigenous people were inherently inferior and doomed to existence based on Darwins theories. This particular textbook was emblematic of the treatment that was given to Indigenous people and issues in Australia during this period. Australian history was presented as almost a purely white affair, the Indigenous Australia population ceased to exist after the introductory chapter.
This phenomenon was rationalized in one particularly infamous textbook from the 1920s. The author of the book Sir Walter Murdoch, a renowned academic, strictly defined the subject of Australian history as an entirely white history – a history that only came into existence in 1788. Murdoch stated that Indigenous people were not to be included within the pages of his book because they had no actual history to tell; just queer legends and unsubstantiated myths spread through word of mouth. He went on to argue that:
Change and progress are the stuff of which History is made: these blacks knew no change and made no progress, as far as we can tell. Men of science may peer at them . But the historian is not concerned with them. He is concerned with Australia only as the dwelling-place of white men and women, settlers from over seas. It is his business to tell us how these white folk found the land, how they settled in it, how they explored it, and hope they gradually made it the Australia we know today.
Although Murdoch expressed this view in the early part of the twentieth century, the attitude that the Indigenous experience did not warrant study stayed entrenched in the cultures of most Australian schools until the middle of the 1970s. Very little was taught in schools about Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander history, culture or perspectives. Like many settler nations that have a darker side to their past, the national story taught in schools was glossed over in order to celebrate the progress of the country. Australias history was sanitized as teachers failed to educate their pupils about Indigenous dispossession and massacres. The historical narrative was cleaned up and dissenting Indigenous voices silenced in order to present to students a story of a nation united by its heroic struggles, not by its convict stain or its oppression of its Indigenous population. The Australian historian Henry Reynolds has argued that this widespread approach adopted by schools has led to a common refrain of why werent we told? by adults who were educated in this propagandistic system. W. E. H. Bill Stanner, an Australian anthropologist, coined the term the Great Australian Silence to denote this deliberate process to omit Indigenous perspectives in order to construct an overly positive Australian narrative. Reynolds maintains there is a direct correlation between this Great Australian Silence, the lack of Indigenous content in school curriculums, and the lack of understanding and respect many generations of Australians have today for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Fortunately, Australian schools and textbooks can no longer teach that there is no value or nothing to learn from the Indigenous population and their history. Teaching students about Indigenous cultures and perspectives has been identified nationally as a key factor to ensuring improved outcomes for Indigenous peoples in Australia. Victoria in particular has made embedding Indigenous perspectives a priority. The Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) mandates that all Victorian students between the levels of Preparatory to Year 10 be taught about the nations original inhabitants and Australias shared history with its Indigenous people. As the main curriculum framework for the state of Victoria, VELS aims to promote an understanding of the first Australians with the inclusion of Aboriginal history and perspectives on events and issues. In the belief
of the NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community, the VELS has been the basis for the NSW Education Funding System (EWS). The NSW-based program uses public funding to provide education to Australian citizens across the two Indigenous (Native American) countries and also on Australia’s other national Indigenous Peoples. The NSW-based program does not require schools to create or enforce specific programs or classes of Native American students but focuses on supporting Indigenous students, making them aware of their heritage and the ways they need to be culturally integrated in schools. In short, VELS is for Aboriginal students and teachers, regardless of whether they choose to be a ‘White, Australian’, ‘White, Australian’, or Indigenous student.
The NSW Education Funding System – Sydney Education (NEDS) Program: In order to help ensure that each of his or her school districts provide a consistent and consistent, comprehensive and integrated Indigenous education, the NSW Education Funding System (NES) – Sydney Education (NEDS) Program provides $1.75 billion, or about 3 per cent of public funding, to the State for each year of education for Indigenous students. The Sydney Education program is administered under the NSW Government for a minimum of one year. A range of funding streams include: $1.5 billion allocated annually for research support and support services, including: $600,000 for education and research (including research assistants
and a total operating budget, totalling $1.9 billion), for public and community education; $715,000 for community and public health; $1.7 billion for health, social, and community health; and, $1 billion for Indigenous health. This includes, of course, public and community education (in Sydney and Victoria). NSW Education Funding Subfunding Programs
Under NSW Education Funding Scheme, state schools are eligible to take part in NSW public funding through the NSW Education Funds (NSDF-NSRL). These programs consist of up to $12 million, or $1 billion, to NSW government for the year of education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The funding is based on average weekly cost for school students in the State; the NEDS has allocated this amount for non-resident Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Each school’s $12 million funding amount can only be used once per student if such amounts are needed for the State’s budget. Education Funding Subprograms For the year in 2017‑18, the following grants are allocated to school funds. (Source: The Government of NSW ) If schools cannot meet the need for further funding within these fiscal years on a competitive basis, they may not participate in each NEDS program, which means that school-led funding may be limited by some of these fiscal years. School funding schemes are designed to provide adequate funding to all Australian schools, without compromising any other schools’ ability to meet their educational needs. The education funding schemes that provide assistance to school-led schools are: Public and community education: $15,500 for academic and other support services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school resources and up to $40,000 for vocational training. This includes all schools participating in the SNSF-NSRL.
$20,000 for community and public service education. This includes the NSW and Victoria governments funded for a minimum of six years, or $12 million, for community and general government services.
$50,000 for community and public services.
$100,000 for vocational training. (Source: The Government of NSW ) School funded education: $5,000 for students enrolled in non-compliance with specific or existing policy standards and guidelines. This includes students from all states, including NSW who are eligible for primary, secondary, community and senior/social education classes. For example, in July 2016, the Department of Education, under the National Student Finance Scheme (NSFGS), funded the School of Rural Education, for $5,500 million (or 2 per cent of NSW school funding for each year). The Department also used the Program for a Minimum of 18 Years to cover the cost of teaching teachers, students and other services in Indigenous countries that are available under the NEDS Program.
) to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, as well as $5.5 billion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children (e.g., paid employment and education services) and $45,000 (e.g., training or skills training for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander children); up to $20,000 (e.g., training and skills training for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children); and an additional $25,000 (e.g., training for other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children). These amounts are distributed proportionately in accordance with Census and Federal estimates or other state and local information. In October 2009, the NSW Education Funding System was awarded the State State Funding Network (SBN). These include: $19,700,000 for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students, approximately 2 per cent of current state funding, for their education funding; and $31,500,000 to a public social assistance program for Aboriginal students, approximately 1 per cent of current State funding, for their education funding; and $21,000,000 for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students, approximately 2 per cent of available funding. All of the SBN funds are shared with the Sydney Education Program (MSN) as a result of an amalgamation between the NSW Education Funding System and Sydney State Education Systems. Prior to 2013, the NSW Education Funding Program was a non-funded, public or provincial program funded by the National Union of Teachers. These allocations can be considered supplementary for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students.
Funding Information
Fees and benefits. State-wide fees and benefits are determined on a case-by-case basis. When applying for services, the following rates or amounts are considered when assessing and paying for services:
Australian Social Services fee (reduced to $1.20 (4 x $2 per hour; $3.75 per hour) per pupil);
Custody fee (reduced to $15.50 per child; per child for 4 ½ hour);
Employment tax fee (reduced to $14.48 per household member for four ½ hour);
Income taxes (reduced to $14.50 per household member for four hours);
Employment tax tax (reduced to $12.50 per household member for four hours);
Health levy (reduced to $12.50 per household member for four hours).
Employment tax. In the 2013 Census, the Income Tax Foundation estimated the income of Indigenous individuals from three out of every four Indigenous population groups of Australia using a single dollar. Over the seven years, Indigenous income rose from $6.11 billion ($9.30 billion) to $38.39 billion (a net decrease of $3 million
) to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, as well as $5.5 billion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children (e.g., paid employment and education services) and $45,000 (e.g., training or skills training for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander children); up to $20,000 (e.g., training and skills training for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children); and an additional $25,000 (e.g., training for other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children). These amounts are distributed proportionately in accordance with Census and Federal estimates or other state and local information. In October 2009, the NSW Education Funding System was awarded the State State Funding Network (SBN). These include: $19,700,000 for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students, approximately 2 per cent of current state funding, for their education funding; and $31,500,000 to a public social assistance program for Aboriginal students, approximately 1 per cent of current State funding, for their education funding; and $21,000,000 for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students, approximately 2 per cent of available funding. All of the SBN funds are shared with the Sydney Education Program (MSN) as a result of an amalgamation between the NSW Education Funding System and Sydney State Education Systems. Prior to 2013, the NSW Education Funding Program was a non-funded, public or provincial program funded by the National Union of Teachers. These allocations can be considered supplementary for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students.
Funding Information
Fees and benefits. State-wide fees and benefits are determined on a case-by-case basis. When applying for services, the following rates or amounts are considered when assessing and paying for services:
Australian Social Services fee (reduced to $1.20 (4 x $2 per hour; $3.75 per hour) per pupil);
Custody fee (reduced to $15.50 per child; per child for 4 ½ hour);
Employment tax fee (reduced to $14.48 per household member for four ½ hour);
Income taxes (reduced to $14.50 per household member for four hours);
Employment tax tax (reduced to $12.50 per household member for four hours);
Health levy (reduced to $12.50 per household member for four hours).
Employment tax. In the 2013 Census, the Income Tax Foundation estimated the income of Indigenous individuals from three out of every four Indigenous population groups of Australia using a single dollar. Over the seven years, Indigenous income rose from $6.11 billion ($9.30 billion) to $38.39 billion (a net decrease of $3 million
$300,000 on the Indigenous issues fund, at the state level in the Southwestern Community, for disadvantaged youth students, an extra $300,000 to promote Aboriginal education (including the NEDS;
$30,000 for education and social work to assist Indigenous students to acquire high value Aboriginal literature and art, to enable them to develop their Aboriginal cultural skills, and for more general school curricula
$20,000 for public education in schools to enhance Indigenous academic achievement and quality of life, including $30,000 for Indigenous research, the NDSU: on school funding, Indigenous students can engage in an in-school role provided by an Aboriginal/ Torres Strait Islander student of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who pays for teacher stipends to support their education and research.
The NSW Education Funding System is one of the four state governments (NEDS) that are responsible for the administration of education and learning across the State of NSW. The state government invests in more education options for Indigenous students in Australia as an overall result of the NEDS Program.
AUSTRALIA’S KENTUCKY INNOVATIVE SYSTEM
Australia’s KENTUCKY ISLAND PROGRAM, as defined in section 3 (1) of the NT Labor Government’s Land Policy Act 1971, allows school districts to provide free Indigenous students with comprehensive and comprehensive primary Aboriginal education. The Indigenous Education Programs in Canberra will provide Indigenous students with the opportunity to develop a range of skills, knowledge, support through tutoring and development and community development activities. With the support of the Community Development Program of the Australian Council of School Trusts, Indigenous Education Programs on Australia will be available to Indigenous students across the States and Territories.
There have already been six Aboriginal literacy clinics in Australia, with three in the West of the State.
AUSTRALIAN SPAWN AND ADVISORY AND MULTIPLE GENDER STUDENTS OF KENWOOD
The Perth Youth Aboriginal Society comprises a group of eight children from Perth, and one boy from Western Australia. The group has a focus on Aboriginal issues, a focus on community development education; and a