UNCC 300 2 - Assessment 2 PDF

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Assessment 2 ...

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A good quality education is a stepping stone that lays the foundation for success in life. It is a common good in which everyone has the right to gain an education. Access to education has substantial implications for future health, socio-economic status and well-being of people around the world (The United Nations, n.d.). So why is that our indigenous population of Australia are so disadvantaged when it comes to gaining a simple education?

According to numerous studies there is an increasing epidemic among indigenous students not attending school. With many not obtaining the basic reading and writing skills needed to fulfil a successful life.

A study conducted in Australia found that the national attendance rate for year 1 through to 10 in 2017 for indigenous students was 83.2 percent. Comparing this to nonindigenous students in which their attendance rate was a much higher 93 percent making a gap of almost 10 percent (Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2017). There has been little to no effort made to close this gap as in 2014 the attendance rate for nonindigenous students was slightly higher at 83.5 percent meaning the gap has only increased (Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2017).

Not only are indigenous students disadvantaged throughout high school but they also face barriers to perusing and accessing higher education. A combination of outside factors to the university such as racism, social discrimination, low-socioeconomic status and poorer health outcomes play an essential role on indigenous participating in higher education (Schofield et al., 2013). Even if indigenous students attend university only 40.5 percent of indigenous students who commenced a bachelor’s degree in 2010 had graduated by 2015 compared to non-indigenous of which 66.4 percent graduated (Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2017). We need to ask ourselves why there is such a huge disadvantage for these children?

There are many answers to that question as to why. Firstly, indigenous students in regional and remote Australia simply do not have adequate facilities and resources to gain the necessary foundation skills to satisfactorily progress through school (Schofield et al., 2013). There is a lack of indigenous teachers who can bring a wide range of culture into the classroom and can relate to the indigenous students; to be exact indigenous teachers make up

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an insignificant 0.7 percent of all teachers in Australia (Schofield et al., 2013). A massive issue is that there is an absence of community engagement between schools and indigenous communities. Studies have shown that schools who work collaboratively and support social relationships with indigenous communities have lower rates of absenteeism, aggression and delinquency and have higher rates of self-esteem and academic achievement among students (Barney, 2016).

This epidemic is not only faced by the indigenous people of Australia but also the indigenous people of Canada. In Canada a minimal 8 percent of Indigenous people aged between 20 and 64 have gained a university degree comparing that to non-indigenous people who have an enormous difference of 23 percent gaining a university degree[ CITATION Bal12 \l 3081 ]. So how can we help prevent this epidemic and close the education gap for our indigenous youth?

The Australian Government has many Government funded assistance programs in place to increase the amount of Indigenous participation in education such as; ABSTUDY, Indigenous Student Success Program and Away From Base (Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2017). These programs through offering scholarships and covering cost of accommodation and travel are collectively assisting over 24 500 indigenous students attending university across Australia. Most universities also have centres dedicated to specialising in support, research and teaching Indigenous students which has shown that indigenous students do appreciate and recognise these centres as culturally significant (Schofield et al., 2013). Unfortunately, Indigenous students found these as unwanted and were even seen as insulting as some students did not want to be stereotyped as needing educational support (O’Bryan, & Rose, 2015).

Part of my professional nursing practice it is my role to advocate on my behalf and also for my patients. The common Good is a notion that provides everyone in the community with dignity and equality so that everyone can flourish to their potential. (Australian Catholic University [ACU], 2017). Any community that is not providing education is not contributing to the common good. Therefore, we as a global community need to support our indigenous students so they can flourish in both university and their chosen path of study. Listen to their opinions and not stereotyping them all into a one fits all approach assuming all indigenous

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students need assistance. This will empower the indigenous students making them feel capable of achievement, this is what the common good in visions.

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References Australian Catholic University. (2017). Section. 3: The History and Principles of Catholic social thought. UNCC100 Unit Materials. Retrieved from https://leocontent.acu.edu.au/file/8e8cfd0c-0c07-4862-92c1118b46d203d4/26/M3- HistoryAndPrinciplesCST.html

Ball, J. (2012). As If Indigenous Knowledge and Communities Mattered: Transformative Education in First Nations Communities in Canada. American Indian Quarterly, 28(3), 454-479. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/4138 927? seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

Barney, K. (2016). Listening to and learning from the experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to facilitate success. Student Success, 7(1), 1-11. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy1.acu.edu.au/10.5204/ssj.v7i1.317

O'Bryan, M., & Rose, M. (2015). UNESCO Observatory Multi-Disciplinary Journal in the Arts (PDF). Retrieved from https://education.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/1391656/009_P ECHENKINA_V2.pdf

Schofield, T., O'Brien, R., & Gilroy, J. (2013). Indigenious higher education: Overcoming barriers to participation in research higher degree programs. Australian Aboriginal Studies, 2(1), 13-288. Retrieved from https://search-informit-com au.ezproxy1.acu.edu.au/fullText;dn=75143302044 9904;res=IELAPA

The United Nations. (n.d.). Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Retrieved from

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http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/...