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Indigenous school students
In 2001 there were 78,943 Indigenous students attending primary schooling and 36,522 Indigenous students attending secondary schooling.
Most Indigenous students (88%) attended government schools in 2001. Of the remainder attending non-government schools, most were attending Catholic schools (68%) (table 10.31). The increase in ungraded students between primary and secondary education is mostly attributable to the classification of secondary-age students in Northern Territory remote Homeland Learning Centres as ungraded. This is due to the difficulty of classifying such students in terms of the normal secondary grade structure.
10.31 FULL-TIME INDIGENOUS SCHOOL STUDENTS - August 2001
|
| | | Non-government schools
| |
| | | |
Level/year of education | Government schools | Catholic | Other | Total | All schools |
|
Primary | | | | | |
| Pre-year 1(a) | 6,056 | 474 | 126 | 600 | 6,656 |
| Year 1 | 10,210 | 881 | 269 | 1,150 | 11,360 |
| Year 2 | 9,943 | 833 | 260 | 1,093 | 11,036 |
| Year 3 | 9,872 | 866 | 304 | 1,170 | 11,042 |
| Year 4 | 9,792 | 819 | 260 | 1,079 | 10,871 |
| Year 5 | 9,354 | 781 | 274 | 1,055 | 10,409 |
| Year 6 | 9,195 | 781 | 290 | 1,071 | 10,266 |
| Year 7 (Qld, SA, WA, NT) | 5,241 | 441 | 205 | 646 | 5,887 |
| Ungraded | 1,039 | 160 | 217 | 377 | 1,416 |
| Total | 70,702 | 6,036 | 2,205 | 8,241 | 78,943 |
Secondary | | | | | |
| Year 7 (NSW, Vic., Tas., ACT) | 3,306 | 243 | 79 | 322 | 3,628 |
| Year 8 | 7,361 | 777 | 551 | 1,328 | 8,689 |
| Year 9 | 6,584 | 762 | 468 | 1,230 | 7,814 |
| Year 10 | 5,522 | 710 | 449 | 1,159 | 6,681 |
| Year 11 | 3,579 | 478 | 282 | 760 | 4,339 |
| Year 12 | 2,076 | 352 | 192 | 544 | 2,620 |
| Ungraded | 2,121 | 238 | 392 | 630 | 2,751 |
| Total | 30,549 | 3,560 | 2,413 | 5,973 | 36,522 |
Total | 101,251 | 9,596 | 4,618 | 14,214 | 115,465 |
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(a) Pre-year 1 does not include Qld and WA. |
Source: Schools, Australia, 2001 (4221.0). |
Graph 10.32 shows a decline in government school attendance from Year 1 onwards in 2001. The number of Indigenous students attending non-government schools remained relatively stable across the early grades, followed by a slight increase in Year 8 students, then a decline until Year 12.
Table 10.33 shows an increase in the number of Indigenous students between 1991 and 2001 from 72,249 to 115,465. Over this period, the number of Indigenous students attending each level of education increased in every state and territory. New South Wales and Queensland experienced the largest increases in Indigenous school attendance, by 15,597 and 11,625 respectively.
In 1991 and 2001 there were more Indigenous males in primary schooling than females. In secondary schooling, there were more Indigenous males in 1991 and more Indigenous females in 2001.
10.33 FULL-TIME INDIGENOUS SCHOOL STUDENTS(a), By level of education
|
| | NSW | Vic. | Qld | SA | WA | Tas. | NT | ACT(b) | Aust. |
|
PRIMARY |
|
Males | | | | | | | | | |
| 1991 | 6,080 | 897 | 7,102 | 1,542 | 4,426 | 621 | 4,341 | 152 | 25,161 |
| 2001 | 11,366 | 2,060 | 11,355 | 2,528 | 6,327 | 1,441 | 5,004 | 317 | 40,398 |
Females | | | | | | | | | |
| 1991 | 5,670 | 871 | 6,585 | 1,488 | 4,335 | 611 | 4,261 | 132 | 23,953 |
| 2001 | 10,842 | 2,041 | 10,850 | 2,474 | 5,884 | 1,365 | 4,776 | 313 | 38,545 |
Students | | | | | | | | | |
| 1991 | 11,750 | 1,768 | 13,687 | 3,030 | 8,761 | 1,232 | 8,602 | 284 | 49,114 |
| 2001 | 22,208 | 4,101 | 22,205 | 5,002 | 12,211 | 2,806 | 9,780 | 630 | 78,943 |
|
SECONDARY |
|
Males | | | | | | | | | |
| 1991 | 3,339 | 613 | 3,413 | 582 | 1,864 | 412 | 1,298 | 81 | 11,602 |
| 2001 | 5,802 | 1,033 | 4,933 | 869 | 2,597 | 946 | 1,726 | 173 | 18,079 |
Females | | | | | | | | | |
| 1991 | 3,224 | 593 | 3,422 | 651 | 1,884 | 416 | 1,272 | 71 | 11,533 |
| 2001 | 5,900 | 1,093 | 5,009 | 975 | 2,704 | 902 | 1,678 | 182 | 18,443 |
Students | | | | | | | | | |
| 1991 | 6,563 | 1,206 | 6,835 | 1,233 | 3,748 | 828 | 2,570 | 152 | 23,135 |
| 2001 | 11,702 | 2,126 | 9,942 | 1,844 | 5,301 | 1,848 | 3,404 | 355 | 36,522 |
|
TOTAL |
|
Males | | | | | | | | | |
| 1991 | 9,418 | 1,510 | 10,515 | 2,124 | 6,290 | 1,033 | 5,639 | 233 | 36,763 |
| 2001 | 17,168 | 3,093 | 16,288 | 3,397 | 8,924 | 2,387 | 6,730 | 490 | 58,477 |
Females | | | | | | | | | |
| 1991 | 8,894 | 1,464 | 10,007 | 2,139 | 6,219 | 1,027 | 5,533 | 203 | 35,486 |
| 2001 | 16,742 | 3,134 | 15,859 | 3,449 | 8,588 | 2,267 | 6,454 | 495 | 56,988 |
Students | | | | | | | | | |
| 1991 | 18,313 | 2,974 | 20,522 | 4,263 | 12,509 | 2,060 | 11,172 | 436 | 72,249 |
| 2001 | 33,910 | 6,227 | 32,147 | 6,846 | 17,512 | 4,654 | 13,184 | 985 | 115,465 |
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(a) At August Schools Census date each year.
(b) Includes one government primary school in Jervis Bay Territory with 38 students (14 males, 24 females). |
Source: Schools, Australia (4221.0). |
Indigenous VET students
In 2001, 53% of Indigenous VET clients were male. In all geographic regions, the number of male Indigenous clients outnumbered their female counterparts (table 10.34). Indigenous VET clients were not as strongly affiliated with urban locations when compared to all VET clients. Some 27% of Indigenous clients were located in capital cities compared with 55% of all clients, and a further 27% of Indigenous clients were located in remote areas compared with 4% of all clients.
10.34 INDIGENOUS VET(a) CLIENTS(b), Vocational and preparatory courses(c) - 2001
|
| | | Geographic region of client address | |
| | |
|
| | Units | Capital city | Other metropolitan | Rural | Remote | Other | Total |
|
Indigenous clients | | | | | | | |
| Males | '000 | 8.3 | 1.7 | 11.7 | 8.5 | 0.5 | 30.7 |
| Females | '000 | 7.1 | 1.7 | 10.5 | 7.4 | 0.5 | 27.2 |
| Persons | '000 | 15.4 | 3.4 | 22.2 | 15.9 | 1.1 | 58.0 |
All Indigenous clients | % | 26.6 | 5.9 | 38.2 | 27.4 | 1.9 | 100.0 |
All clients | % | 55.2 | 7.3 | 31.2 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 100.0 |
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(a) Includes all VET delivery by TAFE and other government providers, registered community providers, some VET delivered in schools, and publicly funded delivery by private providers. Fee-for-service VET delivery by private providers has been excluded.
(b) A client is any individual participating in a specific enrolment or training contract with a specific organisation.
(c) Courses leading to a vocational award. |
Source: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, data available on request. |
Since clients may be enrolled in more than one VET course, the number of course enrolments is greater than the total number of clients. There were 78,100 Indigenous course enrolments in 2001 compared with 58,000 Indigenous clients.
There was an overall increase of 107% in Indigenous VET enrolments between 1995 and 2001 (table 10.35). While the largest increase in enrolments was in the field of Arts, humanities and social sciences (6,000 enrolments), the most rapid rate of growth over that period was in Law and legal studies where enrolments increased by more than 400%.
In 2001 there were more Indigenous enrolments (26%) in multi-field VET courses (including school courses offered in VET institutions) than in other courses. Arts, humanities and social sciences was the second most popular field of study, accounting for 12% of Indigenous enrolments.
10.35 INDIGENOUS VET(a) COURSE ENROLMENTS, Vocational and preparatory courses(b)
|
| 1995 | 2001 |
Field of study | ’000 | ’000 |
|
Land and marine resources, animal husbandry | 2.5 | 6.7 |
Architecture, building | 1.5 | 3.7 |
Arts, humanities and social sciences | 3.4 | 9.4 |
Business, administration and economics | 4.8 | 9.1 |
Education | 2.2 | 4.5 |
Engineering and surveying | 2.6 | 6.0 |
Health, community services | 2.4 | 8.4 |
Law, legal studies | 0.1 | 0.5 |
Science | 0.9 | 3.1 |
Veterinary science, animal care | - | 0.1 |
Services, hospitality and transportation | 2.6 | 6.6 |
VET multi-field education | 14.8 | 20.0 |
Total | 37.8 | 78.1 |
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(a) Includes all VET delivery by TAFE and other government providers, registered community providers, some VET delivered in schools, and publicly funded delivery by private providers. Enrolments in fee-for-service VET courses of private providers have been excluded.
(b) Courses leading to a vocational award. |
Source: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, data available on request. |
Indigenous higher education students
In 2001, 7,342 Indigenous students were attending higher education. Females comprised 65% of Indigenous higher education students, compared to 55% of the total higher education student population.
Table 10.36 shows the distribution of Indigenous higher education students across states and territories in 2001. New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia had the largest number of Indigenous students, with the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania having the smallest number.
The proportion of Indigenous students who were females was the highest in Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia (70%, 67% and 65% respectively). The Australian Capital Territory had the least differential between the number of male and female Indigenous students attending higher education institutions (53% were females).
10.36 INDIGENOUS HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS - 2001
|
| Commencing Indigenous students | All Indigenous students |
|
|
|
| Males | Females | Persons | Males | Females | Persons |
|
New South Wales | 282 | 532 | 814 | 727 | 1,237 | 1,964 |
Victoria | 142 | 233 | 375 | 293 | 477 | 770 |
Queensland | 210 | 391 | 601 | 527 | 876 | 1,403 |
South Australia | 88 | 107 | 195 | 159 | 294 | 453 |
Western Australia | 238 | 514 | 752 | 442 | 899 | 1,341 |
Tasmania | 61 | 54 | 115 | 103 | 131 | 234 |
Northern Territory | 181 | 382 | 563 | 236 | 557 | 793 |
Australian Capital Territory | 25 | 32 | 57 | 64 | 71 | 135 |
Multi-state(a) | 20 | 74 | 94 | 53 | 196 | 249 |
Total | 1,247 | 2,319 | 3,566 | 2,604 | 4,738 | 7,342 |
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(a) Multi-state institutions have campuses in more than one state and/or territory. |
Source: Department of Education, Science and Training, ‘Students 2001: Selected Higher Education Statistics’. |
Graph 10.37 illustrates the increase in Indigenous participation in higher education over the past decade. Between 1991 and 2001 the number of Indigenous students increased by 53% from 4,807 to 7,342. The greatest annual increase of Indigenous students was between 1993 and 1994 when the number of students increased by 686 or 12%.
Table 10.38 shows that in 2001 the fields of study with the largest numbers of Indigenous student enrolments were Society and culture (35%), Education (20%) and Health (14%).
10.38 INDIGENOUS HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS, By broad field of study and level of course - 2001
|
Field of study | Postgraduate degree | Postgraduate diploma/graduate certificate | Bachelor
degree | Associate degree/diploma and advanced diploma | Other award courses | Enabling
courses | Total |
|
Natural and physical sciences | 18 | 9 | 196 | 1 | 26 | - | 250 |
Information technology | 6 | 3 | 127 | 2 | - | - | 138 |
Engineering and related technologies | 5 | 1 | 92 | 2 | - | - | 100 |
Architecture and building | 5 | 2 | 44 | - | - | - | 51 |
Agriculture, environment & related studies | 10 | 14 | 89 | 27 | 2 | 43 | 185 |
Health | 52 | 74 | 663 | 213 | 2 | 3 | 1,007 |
Education | 81 | 84 | 959 | 317 | 7 | 10 | 1,458 |
Management and commerce | 65 | 41 | 483 | 64 | 7 | - | 660 |
Society and culture | 169 | 39 | 1,759 | 436 | 18 | 178 | 2,599 |
Creative arts | 27 | 11 | 340 | 72 | - | 44 | 494 |
Food, hospitality and personal services | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Mixed field programmes | - | - | 3 | 2 | 6 | 636 | 647 |
Non-award | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14 |
Total(a) | 438 | 278 | 4,494 | 1,136 | 68 | 914 | 7,342 |
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(a) The data take into account the coding of combined courses to two fields of study. As a consequence, counting both fields of study for combined courses means that the data in the total row may be less than the sum of the data aggregated down each column. |
Source: Department of Education, Science and Training, ‘Students 2001: Selected Higher Education Statistics’. |
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