Bold vision overdue

MANY indigenous children in remote communities go home to squalid, overcrowded homes.

There is often television but not much in the way of furniture.

The chances of a bookshelf are remote.

The parents and other old relatives are often suffering from addictive behaviour - whether it be drinking, smoking, marijuana or gambling.

Against this grim backdrop, the Territory Government has launched the biggest overhaul of indigenous education in decades.

It is a campaign with a grand vision - to make a start on ending the third-world cycle of poor education, poor health, poor employment prospects and premature death.

Fifteen communities will be invited to sign contracts with the Government. The aim is to engage parents in their children's education.

Practical steps include the reintroduction of bilingual education, which was scrapped in the 1990s. This is crucial - English is often the third or even fourth language for Aboriginal children.

Education will be provided from pre-school to year 12.

The Northern Territory News has been calling for such an outright attack on appalling education standards on indigenous communities for years and the Territory Government should be applauded for its daring.

Far too many politicians see only as far as the next election, which means we all have to eat short-term populist politics drowned in lumpy rhetoric.

Whether community consultation and turning community education centres into proper schools is enough, remains to be seen. Some sort of incentive scheme - similar to the successful no school, no pool policy - may be needed.

But it's a good start.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Fri, 26 Aug 2005
Source: Northern Territory News (Australia - Editorial)
Copyright: 2005 Northern Territory News
Contact: ntnmail@ntn.newsltd.com.au
Website: http://ntnews.news.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/283